I'll be there
by xShadow0x
Summary: When Quinn goes through rough times at home, one of the most unlikely people is there to support her. FABERRY. Faberritana friendship. Not really AU, but not exactly canon. Please go easy on me, it's my first time writing. Rated T to be safe
1. A Helping Hand

Chapter 1

**RPOV**

I couldn't believe it. I, Rachel Barbra Berry, was falling, and falling hard. Of course, I know that small schoolgirl crushes were inevitable in the chaotic high school environment; however _love_ – no this was not in my plan. I was supposed to be a star in high school, moving on to graduate Juilliard and become a Broadway star, maybe even one day singing with the great Barbra Streisand herself! And now I find myself distracted by one blonde cheerleader who happens to be sitting behind me at this very moment.

"Rachel! Raaachheellll…" Kurt called, waving his hand in front of my face.

"Kurt, I can reassure you that I am indeed paying att-"

"Oh come _on_ Rachel! You don't have to pretend around me!" He interrupted.

I plastered on my infamous 100-watt smile. "I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about."

"Why won't you just admit it? _You_ have it bad for our very own Quinn Fabray!"

"I do not!"

"Do too." He replied with a wink.

"I will not participate in these childish antics!" I shot up and turned to storm off, before remembering I was in Glee and really didn't have anywhere to go…

"Where ya goin'?" Finn asked, walking in the door to the choir room. I sighed. He really was adorable.

"Nowhere dear. Are you ready for our duet on Friday?" I questioned.

"Yeah it's gonna be awesome!" I smiled. Finn is a great boyfriend. He's loyal, funny, cute, and he loves me so much. And I love him back! I do, I swear! It's just… I don't think I'm _in_ love with him. My eyes drifted to the three cheerleaders in the back of the room, but they snapped back to Finn when I saw Kurt's victorious smirk.

"Come on Finn, let's go sit down." I said as I glared at Kurt and stuck my tongue out. I know I said I wouldn't act childish, but he deserved it.

As we walked to our seats, I heard a snippet of hushed conversation that I couldn't tear myself away from.

"Come on Q, you know it's not true! Your mom just acts like a bitch to you when she's drunk; she would never say that when she's sober."

"I know, but it just hurts so much…"

"Britt's right, Fabray. None of those things she says are real; they're just the booze talking."

"But," she let out a sob "she said I was ugly and fat and that I never changed from Lucy Caboosey!" At this point Quinn broke down crying, but I had heard enough of her sadness that I couldn't just sit by and watch anymore. I went through the entire Glee session in my head, my thoughts churning and formulating a plan. By the time I left, I had decided something: Quinn Fabray needed someone to lean on, and I would be there.

**QPOV**

I exited the choir room with Santana and Brittany on either side of me. As we walked down the hall to the parking lot they tried to comfort me as best they could.

"Can I stay at one of you guys' house?" I asked, desperate for a way to escape my mother.

"I'm sorry Q, after my mom caught me and San, she's afraid I'll get my sweet lady kisses on with anyone that stays over…" Britt replied dejectedly.

"Yeah and my mom just had a baby and there's absolutely no room in my house. I actually have to stay with my abuela until everything calms down. Why don't you ask Puck? He might be able to let you stay over." Santana suggested.

"No, after… last year, Puck and I don't want to stay near each other overnight." I never said her name. If I said her name it made everything real. It made me remember how a part of me was ripped away. I was startled out of my daze by Brittany hugging me and saying:

"Well maybe someone else from Glee could help. I would say ask one of the Cheerios, but they aren't the most understanding of people." We all laughed at that.

"Okay thanks guys. I guess I should be heading out now." I turned and walked out the door, only to be drenched with water and run back inside. Apparently it had started raining while we were talking. I remembered that I always kept a spare umbrella in my locker, so I turned and walked back down the hall.

I shut my locker and almost leapt out of my skin as I saw Rachel Berry standing next to me. I took a moment to collect myself, before harshly saying "What do you want RuPaul?" I really didn't have anything against her, but I valued popularity, and part of being popular was beating up on the so-called 'losers'. And little Broadway-dynamo divas were considered losers. I noticed her stuttering and stammering over something, so I decided to help things along. "Just spit it out Berry."

"I happened to overhear what you were talking about in Glee-"She started.

I froze.

**RPOV**

I saw her freeze, and a look of vulnerability cross her face. But as soon as it came, it was gone, and her HBIC mask was back on. I saw the walls go up behind Quinn's eyes, and she snapped at me.

"So you were eavesdropping on us?"

"N-no, I wasn't-"

"Then what do you call that? Spying? Invading privacy? Being a stalk-"

"WILL YOU JUST STOP?" I yelled. She looked taken aback. "I was trying to be nice! I didn't mean to hear it, I was just walking by. I came over here to say that you are beautiful, and that your mom doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Oh." Was all she could say.

"And I was also going to say that if you need a place to stay tonight that my dads would probably be okay with it." I tentatively said.

"Um that would be great… But why are you doing this? I've been so cruel to you for the past few years. The names, the slushies, everything! How do you not hate me?"

I took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Quinn, I've never hated you. Yes, I was saddened when I saw how you were influenced by trivial high school popularity, but I never held it against you. I assure you that, given the situation, even someone as determined as I would be blown off course by the opinion of my peers. Lucky for me I don't have that issue, however this knowledge is part of the reason why I never thought that you were the one behind the name-calling and immature slushy-throwing." I then stood in front of her, feeling uncovered and unprotected under the gaze of her hazel eyes. I was starting to wonder if I had said something wrong, when I heard something almost inaudible.

"What was that?" I asked.

"You're right." She sounded broken and scared. I could imagine that after several years of perfecting her uncaring, hardened façade, having someone you don't know very well come and tear those walls down in less than a minute was frightening. I then decided to do something that I would learn to do with many people in the future, but would always remember the first time.

"I'm going to hug you now."

And I did. And the ice queen melted in my arms.


	2. Where Have You Been All My Life

Chapter 2

**QPOV**

I couldn't believe I had given in that easily. With any other person I would have just thrown them by best HBIC glare and slushied them the next day; but this girl was different. I don't know what threw me off! Was it her charm? Probably not, since she managed to be at the bottom of the social totem pole. Maybe her looks? I mean, she's not that bad under all the heinous animal sweaters; but I don't really think that's what made Rachel Berry different than everyone else. I think it was her determination. Once she latched onto an idea she never let go. That, paired with the fact that she saw right through me, was enough to bring me to my knees. I sobbed in the little diva's arms, and I was frightened at how vulnerable I was. All my life vulnerability has never been accepted; it has been considered weakness. And weakness is as good as dead – or at least that's what I was taught. In my house I had to be strong, I had to protect myself. If I didn't, then I would invariably be hurt. Still, as I grew up, I conceived the notion that anyone I loved or cared about would hurt me. This made me a perfect candidate for HBIC, seeing as I didn't care much about anyone. But somehow, through all this protection, and all the barriers I had built around my heart and mind, this little diva wormed her way in and exposed my inner psyche. To say this was unnerving would be the understatement of a century. This was downright scary.

"Sh sh it's okay Quinn…" she whispered.

After a while I stood up straight and tried to fix my appearance as best I could. As I leaned back against the cool surface of the locker, Rachel took the time to explain how things would "go down".

"As I said before, you can stay with me for a bit if you'd like. I mean you don't have to if you don't want to… I just thought that… uh,"

"Rachel."

"…well, I guess… It seemed like you-"

"_Rachel."_

"-erm. Yes?"

"Babbling."

"Oh, yes of course." Rachel turned red. I snorted in laughter, and this seemed to bring her back to earth. She put her hands on her hips in a very no-nonsense manner and looked as if she was about to scold me.

"I would appreciate if you would not laugh at me. Even if I do lose my composure… Anyways, back on track. My dads are fine if I let a friend stay over for a little while; so yeah. I guess you have somewhere to go if you need a place to stay other than at home."

"Thanks Rachel. And I really am sorry for the past few years… I was so stupid. I can't say that I'm going to be the nicest person ever, but I'll try to be a bit more sympathetic. And I'll try to keep most of the slushiers off you." I nudged her at this. She grinned and turned to leave, but then stopped and turned to look at me.

"You coming?"

I paused a moment. Should I trust this girl I tormented for years? She really has no reason to be nice to me. Maybe this is all a ruse - but then again what other choice do I have?

"Yeah sure just let me stop by my house and pick up some stuff."

I caught up with her at the door and we both stepped out into the pouring rain. After a moment I realized that I forgot my umbrella in my locker, but I also realized something else. Oddly enough, in that moment, I really didn't care.

**RPOV**

As we ran to my car, I swear my heart couldn't get any giddier. I turned the heater on as soon as we both got in, but I couldn't even feel the cold or the wet. When I saw Quinn smile at me the small vehicle felt like a sauna. I had the temptation to just sit there, staring at her forever… Her voice startled me out of my daydreaming.

"Um. Are we going to go sometime soon? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm fine just sitting here, but your car is idling."

"Oh, yeah, right, I knew that… So I'm taking you to your house first, right?"

"Yup, unfortunately."

"Hey, look at me." She tentatively raised her eyes. "We don't have to go if you don't want to. The whole point in staying with me is that you don't have to go home. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be scared of my family, but I don't need to in order to see how much it hurts you. Do you want to skip going to your house? I could lend you some of my stuff, it'll be okay."

She bit her lip as she mulled over the decision in front of her.

"You know what, sure. Let's skip it for now. It's only for a few days anyway." She finally said.

I grinned and put the car into gear. I also noticed it had stopped raining! We pulled out of the school parking lot, and felt so happy I could sing. (Granted, this wasn't strange for me.) I don't know if Quinn could read my mind, but at the next stoplight she turned on the radio. 'Where Have You Been (All My Life)' by Rihanna came on, and we both started singing along in an instant.

_I've been everywhere, man  
Looking for someone  
Someone who can please me  
Love me all night long_

_I've been everywhere, man  
Looking for you babe  
Looking for you babe  
Searching for you babe_

Where have you been  
Cause I never see you out  
Are you hiding from me, yeah?  
Somewhere in the crowd

Where have you been,  
All my life, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life

_Where have you been,  
All my life, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life  
Where have you been, all my life_

As the song faded out, we pulled into my driveway. Quinn got out of the car, but I stopped her.

"Would you mind staying out here for a moment? I have to tell my dads that you're here."

"Yeah, sure. That's fine."

I ran inside and nearly shouted "Dad! Daddy!"

"Goodness, what is all this commotion?" Daddy asked as he came down the stairs.

"I must agree with your father, Rachel. I thought we raised you with a little more consideration than this." Dad shook his head at me.

I gave him a hurried hug. "I'm sorry Dad, I'm just in a little bit of a hurry. I have a friend from school that needs a place to stay. I told her that you two wouldn't mind. Is that okay?"

"Oh – err – sure, that's fine, sweetheart."

I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Ok, then I'm going to go get her."

I practically skipped out to Quinn, who was waiting, leaning against my car.

"Your house really does look lovely from the outside. Of course, I wouldn't know if the inside is just as good." She gave me a pointed look.

"Oh… well I'm so sorry, I just needed to check… and they said yeah… and I didn't mean to-"

"Rachel, chill. It's okay. I was just teasing you." She smiled. "It's just really funny to see you flustered. You start speaking like a normal person."

I adopted a hurt look. "And I don't usually?" At this point I implemented my acting skills and brought tears to my eyes. My lip started quivering, and I could see Quinn's face twist into a worried expression.

"No, no, that's not what I meant! It's just that other people think that you say things differently but it's really okay and I don't think that and you're fine the way you are and there's no problem with how you talk and please don't cry I didn't mean it!" She let out in a string of apologies.

My face changed in a split-second. I smirked.

"Revenge is sweet." I turned and strode away, throwing a victorious look over my shoulder as she gaped at my back.

"HEY!" She shouted, and ran after me. "Not okay! That was totally uncalled for! I seriously thought you were offended!"

"Uh, yeah. That was the point. You just won't admit that I'm a better actor." I flipped my hair over my shoulder.

She snorted. "Sure. That's it."

I stuck my tongue out.

"Just remember whose house you're staying at." I immediately realized that was the wrong thing to say. Quinn looked down, and became absorbed in her thoughts. I dejectedly reached for the doorknob, mentally facepalming myself. Yes, even stars facepalm themselves. As we stepped into my foyer, I muttered "Well that put a damper on things."

"Hello Rachel's friend! How are you today?"

Oh shit my dads. Well, this should be interesting…

[**Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks to everyone reading! It seriously does make my day seeing people interested in my story. So this is the next chapter. Feedback is welcomed and encouraged! Read and review please!**]


	3. Dads

Chapter 3

**QPOV**

I was startled out of my gloom by a booming voice.

"Hello Rachel's friend! How are you today?"

I smirked as I saw Rachel turn beet red. Then again, I can see how this would be pretty embarrassing. Bringing home your worst enemy to stay at your house, and having them greeted rather boisterously by your parents right after a particularly depressing turn in conversation – yup, that could definitely be considered embarrassing.

"I'm doing well, Mr. Berry. And yourself?" I responded politely.

"Oh, call me Leroy dear. I'm fine, thank you." A second later I heard him whisper to his husband.

"So much more polite than that Flynn boy that Rachel brought around for dinner last week…" To which there was a murmur of assent from the other man.

Rachel seemed to recover by this point, and piped up.

"Sorry! Where have my manners gone? Dad, Daddy, this is Quinn. She's in glee club as well." She turned to me.

"Quinn, these are my fathers; Hiram and Leroy." I shook their hands in turn, hoping to make a good first impression.

"So, Quinn, I hear that you'll be staying with us for a little while; is that correct?" Hiram asked.

"Yes Mr. Berry, I had a bit of trouble at home and Rachel very graciously offered to let me come here." I hoped there wouldn't be any more questions about my household. I knew I would probably have to tell the two men in front of me at some point why I was sleeping in their house; but I really didn't want to at the moment.

"Well then, a friend of Rachel's is a friend of ours!" Leroy boomed. I smiled; I think I was really starting to like him… "Rachel, why don't you show Quinn the guest bedroom?"

"Sure Daddy. Come on Quinn!" She seemed to have new energy after the encounter with her dads. I grinned as I watched her bound up the stairs. This should be interesting…

**RPOV**

"Well, this is the guest bedroom. We haven't used it at all since it was furnished, so I'm going to have to take a day or two to make it presentable. Until then you can just sleep in my room. 'Kay?" Then my mouth formed a shape as if I just ate a lemon.

"What's wrong?" Quinn asked with a concerned look.

"I can't believe I just used such a crude slang term." I really was appalled. Apparently, being around Quinn was becoming a detriment to the quality of my speech. She laughed loudly, and I gave her my best 'Screw you' glare. Barely containing her snickers, she stepped forward.

"I'm sorry Rachel. I shouldn't have laughed at that, should I?"

"No, you shouldn't have." I responded with a huff. I haughtily turned around, ready to ignore her. I really do not enjoy being laughed at. It's one of my pet peeves. Suddenly I felt her arms around me, and I immediately stiffened, before relaxing somewhat.

"I never thanked you properly." She whispered. I smiled and turned around.

"Anytime." I softly replied. She chuckled.

"I should hope not." We both paused for a moment, contemplating about our situation.

"Isn't it weird?" She suddenly said.

"Isn't what weird?" I asked.

"Less than 4 hours ago I thought I hated you, and now – now I'm staying at your house, and we might even be… friends?" I thought about this sentiment, before saying something that I had spent months perfecting.

"I don't think we ever really hated each other. Emotions are funny things. They take different forms, and we can get easily confused as to what they are or what they mean."

"True dat." She responded.

"Now, I have a very important question." Quinn drew close to my face and stared into my eyes. I shivered, but had to restrain my urge to kiss this beautiful girl in front of me.

"And what would that be?" I said, averting my gaze in an effort to remain nonchalant.

"Rachel, I need you to look at me." She said. Slowly I dragged my eyes up to look at her hazel ones. All the breath left my lungs as I saw the expression in them. It was one of – well, the only way to describe it is _deep_. The expanse within those orbs was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. It seemed as if she was staring into my soul, and I was worried that she would see what was hidden there…

"Y-yeah?" I stammered.

"Where," she paused. "Is the bathroom?"

Taken aback, I stood still, gaping for a minute, before I collected myself and replied. "Oh, uh, down the hall and to the right." As I recovered from what just happened, Quinn walked out of the room. At the last second, though, she paused at the threshold.

"And yes, revenge is very sweet."

I turned and picked up the nearest object, not even noticing what it was, and was about to throw it, but I stopped. What was the point? Why was I so perturbed? I realized that I was more scared than angry. I was scared that if she could play with my emotions so easily, I would inevitably get hurt. I slowly lowered my arm and set down the clock radio I was holding. I backed up to the wall and slid down until I rested on the floor. I hugged my knees and put my head down, gathering my thoughts. I remained in this position for a little while, absorbed in my own little bubble of security.

**QPOV**

I came back into the room to see Rachel sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall, with her head on her knees, which were pulled tight against herself. Her small frame seemed to radiate incredible vulnerability and insecurity. This bothered me, even though I've only been on good terms with the little diva for a few hours. I softly padded over and sat down next to her, and she lifted her head with a weary smile. I wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just a bit preoccupied." An idea started forming in my idea, and a devilish grin crossed my face.

"Are you absolutely positive?"

"Erm – I think so…" She replied uneasily.

"Okay then. Here goes." I leaned over and started tickling her sides, and she immediately keeled over and started writhing and laughing on the floor.

"No-no I'm not tick-cklish! Thissss is compl-completely unnecessary! S-stopp!"

"Surrrrree you're not ticklish. That's exactly why you're squirming this much." I rolled my eyes as I said this, and kept tickling her.

"No I'm serious, stop."

I sat back on my heels. "What?"

"Nothing…"

"Well there must be something, otherwise you wouldn't care."

"I just, well I don't have the best reaction to being tickled."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But-"

"_I said I don't want to talk about it."_

"Fine, okay, whatever. Chill." I normally would take offense to this exchange, but I decided that, given everything she's done for me, Rachel was allowed some secrecy.

"Oh, hey, do you want some food? We happen to have some." A multitude of expressions crossed her face, and she eventually adopted one of distaste and facepalmed herself. In response to my confused look, she explained herself.

"My language. It sucks."

"I am inclined to agree with you, Rachel. The quality of your speech has deteriorated significantly. This seems a very abnormal change. Would you happen to know why this has occurred?" She stuck her tongue out at me, but still answered my question.

"I don't really know, although I do have a theory."

"And what would that be?"

"You're too big an influence on me." She nudged me and stood up, holding out her hand to help me up.

"Yeah whatever." I said, and took her hand. She pulled me part of the way up, and then dropped me back down and grabbed her shoulder, hissing in pain.

"What happened?" I asked worriedly.

"You weigh too much…" She replied, looking up with eyes dancing with humor. I slapped her arm lightly and stood up.

"Whatever. So you said something earlier about food?"

"Yeah it's about dinner time anyway. Come on." She grabbed my hand and we lightly descended the stairs.

I have no clue what was happening then, but my face was lit up with an obscenely happy expression, and I swear, I felt like I was floating.

[**Author's Note: Hey guys! So every single person that read the last two chapters, and also everyone that reads this one gets a cookie! I love you all so much! This is another chapter of I'll be there (in case you hadn't noticed). So yeah. Read and Review please! Feedback is welcomed, encouraged, and needed. Do you guys want longer, shorter, fluffier, angstier, is the story going too fast, too slow, basically just tell me anything! And more cookies for everyone! And here's some more exclamation points, since the ones I already have don't express my excitement enough. ! Peace out. :))**]


	4. A Different Rachel

Chapter 4

**QPOV**

Confused.

- Also: confusion, confuse, confusing.

- Synonyms: befuddled, confounded, bewildered, perplexed, and baffled.

- Relevance? The only word to describe my thoughts at the moment.

I can make absolutely no sense out of my mind, and that scares me. Throughout all the trials and tribulations in my life, I've always been able to take solace in my own head. For this sacred place to be made foreign to me is terrifying. Because of this, now I don't know what to do. Have you ever had that feeling that if you curl up in a ball and close your eyes, that when you open them everything will be fixed? I have that feeling right now. But try as I might, it's not fixed. I feel happy and depressed; I feel angry and strangely calm; and most importantly, I feel like I both hate and care deeply for the girl standing next to me. Why does she have to jump into my life and turn everything upside down? It's not fair. But when I look at her, I just kind of melt inside. I'm guessing it's not that hard a thing to do when it comes to Rachel. She has these great big, dark brown eyes that just seem to swallow you up. There is so much behind those eyes, and that is both daunting and intriguing. And then there are those times that she'll give me a strange look that has a strong expression, but I can't put my finger on. Whenever I think I'm close to guessing it, it slips away…

"Rachel honey, is Quinn okay?"

SNAP. The spell is broken and I'm back in the Berrys' kitchen, watching Leroy making a vegan pizza.

"Um, err, yes I'm fine." I stammered out.

"She seems to be quite all right, Daddy." Rachel replied with a smile.

"Well that's good. So, Quinn," Oh, here it comes. I've avoided this long enough, but everything must come to an end. Now the questions about my family… "Do you like bacon?" …that was unexpected.

"Yes?" I actually love bacon. "Wait but aren't you guys vegan? Where does bacon factor in?" Once again: confused.

Leroy laughed. "I asked because we have some great veggie bacon. It sounds gross, but it seriously is pretty good."

"You're right about one thing; it sounds kind of gross." I replied with a grin. I've been bred by my parents to be the perfect charmer – to parents, to family friends, and to just people in general. I came into this situation with the mindset of charming the pants off Rachel's dads, but I was not expecting this. These men are very likeable, and it's very easy to get along with them.

"Yeah, there's actually a lot of vegan food that tastes quite a bit like 'normal' food. And there's also vegan food that tastes better than 'normal' food. Ever had soy milk?" He asked, turning towards the fridge.

"Nope. I've heard of it, though."

"Here, have some." He said, handing me a glass of what looked like regular milk, but more of an off-white color. I gave it a skeptical look, before downing it like a shot. YOLO.

"Whoa. That is… really good."

"What'd I tell ya?" Leroy said with a wink.

"If you hang out with me, you get introduced to a lot of new things." Rachel offered.

"Well, if today has been anything to go by, that seems like a good thing." I replied, smiling at her. Then I paused and gathered my nerve. "Oh, and, um – thanks again for letting me stay over…" I said in a small voice. Being the head cheerleader, there are not many people that I interact with that show me kindness. This meant that if someone was genuinely compassionate towards me, my gratitude was hardly forthcoming. But this small brunette was looking at me with such goodwill that I knew she was something special, and that I needed to suck it up and thank her. She deserved it. And, to my shame, she definitely did not deserve to be treated as badly as we had been treating her.

"I'm also really sorry for… school." I said in the same small voice, hoping she would know what I meant, and how much I meant it.

"Of course, Quinn. We've already discussed this. I don't blame you. You are forgiven, and you are also very welcome. I am perfectly willing to extend a helping hand to someone that needs it." Rachel answered. "Even to someone who doesn't know they need it." She added at the end.

What was that supposed to mean?

**RPOV**

Quinn and I kept talking for the next 15 minutes, until the pizza was ready. At that point, Dad came downstairs, and we all sat down, as my family does every night. This, however, seemed very strange Quinn. While my dads dug into the food, I nudged the blonde sitting next to me, and asked in a low voice "Hey is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied. "It's just that my family hasn't had a meal together in about 2 years." Her face had fallen, and I couldn't stand the look of anguish that was hidden in her eyes. I decided that saying something would probably not be the best choice, and it would probably be nowhere near comforting. It took me a moment to come to a decision, and I grabbed her hand under the table, and held on, before reaching for a slice of pizza. Quinn was shocked for a moment, but recovered quickly. She interlaced our fingers, and reached for a slice for herself.

"To be cheesy," I whispered. "I think this is the start to a beautiful friendship." She grinned at me.

"I believe I must agree with you there, friend."

_About 15 seconds later…_

"HOLY CRAP!"

"WHAT?!" My dads and I shouted in unison.

"This is really really really good!" Quinn responded with a childish expression. To which there were three huge sighs of relief.

"To repeat myself: What'd I tell ya?" Daddy said.

The cheerleader giggled, and then demolished another slice. "Although I guess it's also a matter of perspective. I haven't eaten much real food lately. None of the cheerleaders have. Coach has us on her 'Dirt and Rocks' Diet. It really is dirt and rocks. Well, occasionally rocks. They have too many calories to eat on a regular basis."

My dads stared at Quinn with wide eyes and horrified expressions. Apparently I was the only one to catch the small smile that played across the lips of the girl after she said this…

"I'm kidding, guys! Jeez, Coach is mean, but not _that_ mean." She assured my parentals. "But one thing is true; we are on a really terrible diet. It's all green food protein shakes and raw anchovies. And there might be a bit of dirt in those, but we're never really sure." She ended with a signature Quinn Fabray smirk, which still sent shivers down my spine.

"How pleasant." Dad added dryly.

"Hiram!" Daddy scolded. "Be nice! Who knows, maybe this diet actually works."

"Oh, it doesn't." Quinn interjected, barely holding in a smile. "The only way it would work is if people got too grossed out to eat and just ended up starving themselves."

"To repeat myself:" said Dad, with a pointed look at Daddy, and a face twisted with distaste. "How pleasant."

At this point my dads started bickering, and I took this as our cue to leave. I leaned over and whispered in Quinn's ear. "Come on, let's ditch these two."

We snuck upstairs to my room, and collapsed laughing onto the bed.

"That – was – HILARIOUS!" Quinn choked out between laughs. "Your dad was all like – and then Leroy said – and his _face!_" Was all she managed before lapsing into another fit of unintelligible giggles. I was in the same boat, as my face was probably bright red and my stomach burned with the effort of laughing so much. Normally my dads' reactions didn't seem this funny, but with another person it seemed like the most ridiculous thing in the world. Finally, after we finished with our bout of hilarity, Quinn propped herself up on her elbows and looked around.

"What?" I asked her.

"It's just that I've never been in your room, and it's interesting. Perhaps a glimpse into the mind of the infamous Rachel Berry?"

I snorted. "Infamous? Please. More like despised."

She gave me a strange but determined look, which I tried to shy away from. "Hey. Rachel. Look at me." As an endnote, she added. "I promise this isn't like earlier."

When I heard this, I slowly looked up, meeting the same deep expression as before. What can I say? I'm a sucker.

"You aren't despised. I can promise you that." She told me, in a voice laden with emotion. "You are definitely not despised, and you are absolutely nothing less than anyone else in that school. If anything, you are so much better, and so much more talented than all those losers. Every single one of them always looks up to you, no matter what they say. In the minds of WMHS students, you are larger than life. That's why they act the way they do. They won't allow themselves to respect you. Even though you more than deserve to be respected." She took a deep breath. "At least, that's how I felt."

Stunned, I stared at this beautiful girl sitting beside me.

"That was… the nicest thing _anyone_ has ever said to me." I whispered. She blushed and started muttering nonsensically, before sitting all the way up and surveying my room again.

I am rather proud of my room, even if it isn't exactly what people would think of for me. The walls are a deep, royal blue, and relatively clear of items, other than one side above a desk, upon which many posters and pictures are attached. This is my 'Dream Wall', which is where I put anything pertaining to Juilliard, New York, Broadway, or Barbra Streisand. Recently, it is also where I put anything about Glee, too. On another wall, the one nearest the door on the left, was a large closet door. It was a sliding door, and it was also a large mirror. A large black area rug covers the floor, which contrasts with the silver carpet, and creates an almost ethereal look. The rest of the décor is colored and arranged to fit this look, and is also arranged using Feng Shui, to allow energy to flow. A large four-poster bed is the first thing you see when you walk in the door, as it is centered along the wall opposite the entryway. This is where we are now, staring around my room, as I patiently await Quinn's judgment.

"Huh."

"Excuse me?"

"This is not what I expected."

"I should hope not. Most people assume too much about me just from my persona at school. Wouldn't you know a bit about that too?" I retorted.

"Nawwww…" She drawled, giving me a sly look. "But ya know, your room seems to be missing something."

"And what would that be, I wonder?" I asked in return, getting a slight inkling as to what she might be referring to.

"You have next to no technology in here. All I see is a laptop and cell phone charger."

"Ah, m'lady, have no fear. I will soon assuage your concerns." I said with mock gallantry. "No, but seriously, this is pretty cool. I am about to show you a place that very few have ever been before." I walked to the closet door and slid it open, and motioned for a very confused Quinn to go inside.

"Why are we going into your closet? If this is a ruse to catch me unawares, I'm never speaking to you again." She said in jest. I laughed.

"No, nothing bad will happen. Prepare to be amazed." I stated dramatically, while reaching in the dark and flipping on a light switch. The blonde gaped at the sight before her.

"This," I declared, "is my geek room."

My geek room is a room I created when I first moved to this house, because my dream had overpowered my fun. Being an aspiring Broadway star is tough on a kid, and is also tough on a teenager. After several instances of panic attacks as a result of too much stress, when I was younger, I decided to find a way to let loose. And thus, my geek room. Similar to how my bed is the first thing to see in my bedroom, the first thing to see in my geek room is a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the door. 72 inches of pure high definition that cost me months and months of cajoling and nagging my fathers. Beside this halo of modern technology were several gaming systems, including Xbox, Wii, Playstation, and Game Cube (yes, they still have those). Beneath the TV is a BluRay Player, and a large selection of DVDs, as well as an Apple TV connection. On the wall to the right of the door is a stereo, with an Apple dock and a huge CD cabinet, with a section marked off for show tunes. On the wall to the left of the door were 3 desktop computers, all set up for easy access from one focal point. Lining all of the walls were shelves, containing video games, leftover DVDs, leftover CDs, and anything else that didn't have a place. On the walls on either side of the door, several electrical outlets were situated, with multitudes of chargers and electronics attached to them. Recessed spot lights in the ceiling cast a soft blue glow over all the electronics, giving the room a feel of seclusion and self-maintained peace.

"So what do you think?" I asked Quinn, who was still staring around her with an incredulous look, but had at least closed her mouth.

"Can I stay here forever?" She finally said. I burst out laughing.

"We can work that out later. I'm guessing you like it, then?"

"_Like_ it? I LOVE it! How did you even get all this stuff?" She moved from where she was standing to start touching different things, trying to see if they really were real.

"Well, my Daddy is a doctor, and my Dad is a lawyer. Between the two of them, they manage to spoil their only daughter a tiny bit."

"Wow. This is… This is amazing!"

I smirked. "I know. But come on, we can't stay in here all night. I promise we'll come back again, but for now, let's go." I tried to drag her out of the room, until she eventually turned and reluctantly came back into my bedroom.

"Okay, it is… 9:17, so we have some time before we have to go to sleep, seeing as it's Friday. I was thinking maybe a movie?" I suggested.

"Yeah, sure, that works."

"Awesome. Let me just go tell my dads. If you want to find something more comfortable to wear, feel free." I pointed to the chest of drawers. "Top drawer is t-shirts, third drawer down is shorts and sweatpants."

"Aww, I don't get to see any of your animal sweaters? That would've been the highlight of my day." Quinn pouted (very adorably, I might add) and batted her eyelashes at me.

"Haha, nice try. You'll never take them alive! Or knitted, I guess. They aren't really alive…" I stumbled over the rest of my words as the girl continued to stare at me with an unreadable expression, and decided to just back out the door. Once I reached the stairs, I stopped and leaned my head back against the wall.

Oh, what you do to me, Quinn.

**A/N: Hey there! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I found myself in the mountains of northern California with no internet connection or cell phone service. But here is a bit longer chapter to try and make up for it. So just a brief note about the story: I basically have it mapped out (very vaguely – like 'scribbling at 3 am' vaguely), but the quality of the writing will probably vary a bit. I have personal experience with the friends-to-love thing, and with the heartbreak, but the fluff will be from my imagination, so it might not be very good or very realistic. I'm done rambling now! Read and Review pretty please! (And to the person that asked, did you find your milk this time?)**


	5. Charlie

Chapter 5

**QPOV**

Wow. I sorely underestimated Rachel Berry. Or would it be overestimated? Either way, I estimated and assumed something completely off from the truth. There is so much more to this girl than just the annoying Broadway-aspiring diva that everyone at school knows. She actually seems like a really cool person on the inside. Why doesn't that show on the outside? There are those lapses in her usual elaborate speech; the moments when she can joke and laugh and be completely casual. These such times when there is a glimpse into another person behind the pretty face and the glorious voice. It's just so easy being around her! I feel like I can become best friends with someone I thought I hated this afternoon. And who knew that she actually did have clothes other than animal sweaters? I didn't. Until now.

"So you found something you like?" The brunette asked as she reentered the room. I had, in fact, found something I liked. A light V-neck t-shirt and sweats, which both strangely smelled of vanilla, seemed to call to me when I opened the drawer. Weird, I know, but whatever.

"Yeah, I did. Are you okay with me wearing your clothes?" I asked, kind of unsure about how to act around someone helping me out like this.

"Of course! I told you to, didn't I?" She replied with a smile and a laugh.

"I guess. I was just… erm… being awkward? Like right now…" I mumbled, staring at the ground and scuffing the heel of my converse.

"It's fine." She said softly, walking across the room to pick out some clothes to sleep in. "You know you really are adorable when you're embarrassed."

I blushed. "Thanks. So what movie were you thinking about watching?"

"Hmm… You thinking romcom or horror?" She asked, straightening up.

"Hard choice. Hang on a sec." I started twirling my finger in the air in front of my face, while Rachel stood by, giving me a strange and confused look.

"What are you doing?" She questioned, sounding doubtful of my sanity.

"Spinning the Wheel of Fortune in my head." I replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ah." She said, understanding.

"I have reached a decision!" I cried, pointing my finger in the air. "Drumroll please!"

Rachel just gave me an amused and expectant expression.

"Fine then. Be a killjoy. I pick romcom. Or 'A Chick Flick', as the guys would call it." I smirked at this, thinking of what Puck or Finn would think of me spending the night at Rachel's house.

"Awesome. How about 'No Strings Attached'?" She asked.

"Sure. That works." I smiled, again seeing the pure absurdity and, yet, ever-present levity of the situation.

"Now turn around. I need to change." I blushed and turned around, fighting the urge to peek. WHOA. Wait. Where'd that come from? That is not okay. I'm not supposed to think that! That was just me being weird, right? I have absolutely no reason to want to peek. That's my mind getting confused, thinking things that have no basis or truth, and me getting wierded out, right? That _has_ to be true! I do NOT have anything toward Rachel! Absolutely not! No way, Jose! Because I am absolutely, one hundred percent sure that _I am not gay! _

**_Methinks she doth protest too much._**

What the fuck? What is that? Is that a voice? In my head? Am I going cray-cray? Well the fact that I just used cray-cray in a sentence kind of illustrates that… But still! I should not be hearing voices!

**_You're all right. I'm just the voice in the back that you don't want to listen to. Kind of like the devil on your shoulder. Except I'm not always bad. Call me Charlie._**

Oooookayyyy. So I have a voice. In my head. Telling me what I think. That's not crazy at all. *insert sarcasm here*

**_Yeah, whatever. Stop being a smart ass. I'm here to help you, but only if you let me._**

Help me do what? Think? Cause I can already do that pretty well, thank you very much. At least, I could until _she_ came along…

**_Exactly. So, to answer your question, no. I'm not here to help you think. I'm here to help you figure out what you feel._**

I know what I feel, and I don't need some crazy voice in my head telling me something different. I do know what I feel. I do. It doesn't change much. I don't feel anything different than normal. Absolutely nothing. Nope. Nada.

I barely contained a sigh. I'm obvious even in my head, aren't I?

**_Yup._**

That's what I thought. Although I guess you know what I thought, don't you?

**_I know everything… mwuahahahahahahaaa… okay, well, back to business. Yes, I know. And by the way, stop saying you are crazy. You aren't crazy. Just a little bit warped._**

Lovely. A disembodied voice with facial expressions. Or do you just smirk all the time?

**_Screw you. Which leads on to my next point. Rachel wants to._**

Say whaaaaaa? To imitate Mercedes, 'oh hell to the no'.

**_Oh hell to the yes. You know that expression in her eyes that you couldn't figure out? You actually did. Well, I did. And now I'm telling you. If you don't believe me, watch how she acts around you for the next few days. You'll see what I mean. _**

Yeah, well, why should I care anyway? It's not like she's gonna rape me in my sleep or something. I hope.

**_No, she's wouldn't do that. She would just sit there and pine away for you. But the importance here is that you… actually, no. I won't tell you. Figure it out. It's not that hard. 'kay, Charlie out. Later._**

Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way are you leaving me alone to think about all this! That's not fair! Come back! Wow, I'm begging the mysterious voice in my head to come back. I think I might be more than a little warped…

"QUINNNNNNNNN ARE YOU IN THERE?" A loud voice in my face brought me back from my internal issues. I stumbled backwards in shock and fell on my rear, as a very amused Rachel stood, looking down at me.

"What the fuck was that for?" I growled, standing up and brushing nonexistent dust from my behind.

"I don't think I've ever heard you say that word before…" She mused, before turning her attention fully on me again. Lucky me. "Well, you've been standing in one spot for 15 minutes with this glazed look in your eyes. It was slightly worrisome."

"Whatever. I was thinking about something." This was my genius and masterfully constructed answer.

"Uh huh. Penny for your thoughts?" She inquired.

"None of your business, Berry." I shot back angrily, before immediately regretting it. This girl had shown me kindness and compassion, something sorely lacking in my life, and this is how I act?

"No, no, Rachel I didn't mean that. I'm just really distracted right now, and HBIC rears her head when I get frazzled." Her hurt look dissipated slightly, but was still there. "C'mere."

She hesitantly walked forward, and I, just as tentatively, wrapped my arms around her. This was a very new thing for me. I don't have the most… shall we say, _loving_ family, and so hugs were never really my thing. There's always Santana and Brittany, cause when you're around them it's impossible to escape hugs, but I usually didn't initiate them. This was definitely the first time I hugged someone whom I hadn't known for a while. Ya know what, though? This feels nice. Our bodies kind of fit together. Like puzzle pieces! I like puzzles… I smell vanilla. Why do I smell vanilla? What smells like vanilla? These clothes do, but other than that, what smells like vanilla? And why do these clothes smell like vanilla anyway? I turned my head slightly, and realized immediately where the intoxicating scent was coming from.

"You don't smell like berries!" I blurted out without thinking. I could feel Rachel's laugh vibrate through my collarbone.

"Did you want me to?"

"Well I guess I don't really care. I just thought that since-"

"-since my last name is Berry, that I would smell like berries. I know. But I don't, do I?"

"No, you don't…" I said dejectedly, sounding a bit like my not-really-clueless blonde best friend. Brittany would be the one to say stuff like that. Not me. What was happening to me? I keep acting like an idiot whenever I'm around this girl. It's weird…

Suddenly the pair of arms around my waist tightened, and I could feel a surprisingly small nose turn into my body. I then found myself feeling incredibly protective, as the vanilla-scented brunette starting crying into my shoulder.

"Sh, sh, honey it's okay." I whispered, trying to comfort her. "What happened? Did I say something wrong?"

She sobbed a little harder at this. "N-no, you didn't do anything. You're p-p-perfect, and I keep thinking you're too perfect…" was all I heard before more sobs racked her small frame. I didn't understand this logic. Too perfect? Me? In what reality? I thought back, painfully, to Lucy. I was the overweight girl with acne and glasses in the back of class. I was the one that nobody liked. How could I ever be perfect; too perfect? I guess some people would call that low self-esteem, but I call it reality. It's part of the reason that my mom can get to me so well. I focused back on reality as the girl in my arms quieted down. She sniffled.

"Sorry about that. You just really reminded me of… somebody that I used to know. So can we just pretend that never happened? Please? I might tell you later. If you're good." She was back to her usual self then, as she winked at me when she said this.

"But I was already good once this year, and that was for Santa…" I said in a child's voice.

"Well then you'll just have to make it on the Naughty list." She giggled and skipped past me, but stopped for a minute. She leaned forward, her lips barely touching my earlobe, making me shiver. "Not like that's a bad thing."

I stood there with my mouth hanging open.

Did Rachel Berry just flirt with me?

And did I like it?

Charlie has some major explaining to do.

**_Just figure it out, wimp._**

**A/N: Hey guys! Two updates in one day, wow. I guess there is a benefit to long car rides. So this has a bit of Faberry-ishness, although I'm thinking it's gonna be a little while before they actually get together. Well, read and review please! I'm excited to hear what you guys think. Oh, and about Charlie: like, don't like, absolutely hate, what? Tell me pretty please! Peace out.**


	6. Of Panic Attacks and Mornings

Chapter 6

**RPOV**

This is surreal. How am _I_ sitting next to _Quinn Fabray_, watching a movie? How did this happen? I make myself into an obnoxious, self-centered, precocious, pretentious, pushy jerk at school. I might actually be like that anyway. Given that, how can I be even in the same room as this perfect blonde head cheerleader? This seems impossible! It _is _impossible! Breathe. Breathe. Can't breathe. Whooaaaaa… trippy…

**QPOV**

"Rachel? _Rachel? _RACHEL GET UP!" Why won't she get up?

"Leroy! Hiram! Come help!" I shouted out the door.

The two men came rushing in, immediately stooping over Rachel and sitting her up so that her head is between her knees.

"What happened?!" I exclaimed, not used to people collapsing in my presence.

"Quinn, calm down. She's fine. I think she just had a panic attack. This used to happen all the time, before she had a way to get stress out. Did anything happen that might have triggered it?" Leroy asked, sounding relatively calm.

"Umm no I don't think so… We were watching a movie, then she started breathing really weird and just kind of fell over and wouldn't get up."

"Okay, that's fine. Sometimes panic attacks can be triggered by thoughts or feelings, and you wouldn't exactly have been in her head at that moment, right? Here, she's waking up. Rachel, honey? Are you alright now? You had another panic attack."

"Oh. Crap. I thought I stopped having those a while ago?"

"You did." He replied with a small smile. "Did anything happen to make you have another one?"

She turned and gave me a strange look, but then shook her head no.

"Well, just sit up and take deep breaths. You'll be fine." After saying this, Leroy and Hiram stood up and walked out the room, pausing at the door. "Quinn, if anything strange happens, tell us."

"I most definitely will." I replied, still coming down from the adrenaline rush from fear.

Rachel's fathers shut the door, and I collapsed back against the wall.

"You scared me." I told her.

She laughed. "How do you think I felt?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry about that. Are you absolutely positive that you feel fine?" I asked, still unsure as to the condition of her health. She freaking _collapsed_ in front of me! What am I supposed to think?

"I'm fine. This sort of thing used to happen all the time. I'm pretty much used to it."

"But why doesn't this happen at school? Not that I would want it to, I just have never seen this happen to you before."

"I stopped having panic attacks a while ago, before I started high school. You didn't know me before high school, so you wouldn't know I collapsed randomly. But ask Brittany or Santana. They went to junior high with me. They would know."

"Huh. So… what do we do now?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

She tried to suppress a yawn. "I don't care."

"Surrreee. Now let's get you to bed. We don't want you collapsing again."

She yawned again. "I'm… not tireddd…"

"Yeah right. Come on, scooch. To bed with you, I say!"

"You suck at chivalry." She mumbled.

"I'm not a knight, though, am I? I don't have to be chivalrous."

"Mmm… Quinn as a knight… would that be Sir Quinn? But you aren't a sir." She giggled at this. "Definitely not a sir… hmmm… Lady Quinn doesn't make you seem knightly… I've got it!" She stood up, despite my efforts, and touched me on each shoulder. "I dub thee, Knight Quinn!" And then she burst into a fit of giggles.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have met Sleepy Rachel. Honestly, this girl is acting insane!

"Ok, so since I am now a knight, I have permission to be chivalrous, yes?"

"Mmhmm." She affirmed, and nodded rapidly, like a small child.

"Well you, m'lady," I said, poking her nose, "need to go to _sleeeeep_."

"But I don't wanna!" She cried.

"I don't care. You have to, and you're going to." As soon as I said this, I got an idea. I stooped and grabbed Rachel around the knees and threw her over my shoulder. Thank goodness for cheerleading.

"HEY! Put me down!" The girl responded indignantly.

"Nope. Not gonna." I replied with a smirk. I carried her to her bed and put her down, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, the brunette fell asleep, snoring softly. I smiled down at my adorable friend, and pulled the covers over her. This is going to be an interesting experience.

**RPOV**

I woke up to a warm body pressed up against mine. At first my mind was jumbled and confused as to why, until I realized that Quinn had spent the night. Wow. Without a doubt, this is absolutely my favorite way to wake up. Our bodies seemed to fit together seamlessly, so that the curve in her back was flush against the front of my torso. I could feel her soft breathing, and I could smell… cinnamon. Huh. So Quinn Fabray smells like cinnamon. Interesting. I nuzzled further into the back of her neck, enjoying the warmth emanating from the girl beside me. Ya know, snuggling with your worst enemy isn't really that bad. It's actually pretty amazing. Brought back to reality, I breathed in sharply when Quinn suddenly moved her feet so they were intertwined with mine. After a second I relaxed, but I had a smile on my face when I closed my eyes again.

After about an hour of just lying there, with Quinn sleeping next to me, I slowly lifted my head up to check the clock. The bright digital numbers showed 8: 54 AM, and I decided it might be time for us to wake up. I looked back at the blonde, whose face looked almost angelic in sleep. Not that she didn't look angelic otherwise. But still. When she shifted a bit, a piece of hair fell over her face, and I couldn't stop myself from reaching over and brushing it back. I immediately pulled back, worried that she might wake up – but her breathing never changed. I then gently placed my hand around her waist, feeling absolutely content with life at the moment.

"Best. Morning. Ever."

I nearly jumped out of my skin, as I was not expecting the gentle voice to suddenly resound in the calm of the morning.

"I - well it's just that - you were - and I was - and - huh?" I stuttered and stammered.

She turned around to face me, and I was incredibly aware of how close we were to each other. If I leaned forward just a little bit – NO! Can't do that! Not allowed! Not okay! I continued fighting with myself like this for a few seconds, until Quinn started speaking again.

"I just meant that I've never woke up next to someone, and it's really nice. It's also pretty awesome that I made a new friend, I'm staying away from my house, and I got to snuggle with someone in my sleep." She explained.

"Oh. Yeah. That." I said, oh-so eloquently.

Apparently she picked up on this also, and smirked. "Yeah. That."

I blushed and said "I feel awkward." At this she faux-gasped.

"Awkward? Did Rachel Berry just say she felt awkward?"

"Yeah whatever. I can be awkward too."

"I know." She leaned over and kissed the tip of my nose. "And it's adorable." By this point I have turned bright crimson, and am sputtering like an idiot.

"What time is it?" She asked, before turning back around, so that her back is turned towards me once again.

I checked the clock once more. "9:13"

"Okay. Then, with the power vested in me by you last night, I declare that we stay in bed another half hour." She said.

"Mmhmm…" I murmured assent. "Wait, what power did I vest in you?"

"You don't remember the knight ordeal?"

"_What knight ordeal?_" She turned over in order to tell me what happened the night before.

"I was trying to get you to go to bed, and you wouldn't cooperate. You were calling me un-chivalrous, and tried to dub me Sir Quinn, but ended up dubbing me Knight Quinn. It really was hilarious and adorable." I turned, if possible, an even brighter shade of red.

"And then did I go to bed?"

"Not until I fireman-carried you there." She replied with a wink. And, yes, it was possible to turn more red.

"It's all right, my little adorable strawberry." She said, and kissed my nose again.

"First of all, is that gonna become a thing?" I asked.

"I think so, although I'm not sure. There isn't exactly a crystal ball handy for me to use." She replied, slightly sarcastic.

"Fine then. Second of all, what the hell? Strawberry? Really?" I asked, becoming indignant. There have been WAY too many plays on my last name for me to give in that easily.

"Well, you're sweet on the inside, although a little… discouraging-looking on the outside, just like a strawberry. Also a strawberry has seeds, and I know that you are going to sow seeds of friendship wherever you go, and to whomever life takes you. Plus you are always grounded, at some level, just as a strawberry has a constant inner connection to the plant it came from, through its leaves. And then there's the fact that your last name is Berry and you just turned, like, 15 shades of red."

"I'm going to discount the last part of that, just because the rest of it was really sweet." I said with a little warning look. Quinn shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just explaining it. So, about that extra half hour…?" I sighed. Who was I to complain with lying in bed with the head cheerleader a little more?

"Sure." When I said this, she giggled like a child on Christmas day, and turned around, snuggling back into me. I still lay there, kind of like a dead fish, before she grabbed my arm and wrapped it around her waist again, sighing contentedly.

This girl is going to drive me crazy one day.

**A/N: I wouldn't mind mornings so much if they were like this ;) Haha so yeah. Hey peeps. I realize that these first 6 chapters have just been about less than 24 hours in the story, but after this initial encounter between the two the story will go a bit faster. Umm that's it I think… Read and Review please! Please please please please review! It helps me along with the story, as well as being a huge morale booster! Peace out.**


	7. The Unholy Trinity

Chapter 7

**QPOV**

After another half hour of cuddling with Rachel (I know, weird, right?), we both did our morning rituals and went downstairs to eat breakfast.

"Good morning, girls." Leroy said to us when we walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, Mr. Berry."

"Oh, come on, I told you last night to call me Leroy. Mr. Berry is my husband." He replied with a wink.

"Well then, good morning Leroy."

"Ah, much better. So, who's up for pancakes?" At this, Rachel squealed and jumped up and down, and I could feel a small smile grace my lips.

"I'm guessing she is. Pancakes sound great." I said calmly.

"Okay then, well take her somewhere else while I make them, otherwise I'll never finish."

"Sure thing." I turned around and grabbed Rachel from around the waist, dragging her back upstairs.

"You suck." I heard her say at one point when we were halfway up the stairs.

"Only if you want me to." SHIT. Where'd that come from? Why'd I say that? Aaaahhh! I listened closely for signs of a change in Rachel's demeanor, but instead a gentle laugh reached my ears.

"Good one."

"Oh. Yeah. Hehe. Right…" I tried to sound nonchalant, even though my mind was running a mile a minute.

"Are you okay? You don't sound very… coherent."

"Yup. Fine. Completely fine. Nothing wrong. Nope. Nada. Absolutely nothing's wrong." Wow I suck at lying.

"Well fine then. Don't tell me." I could almost hear her pout.

"Maybe I'll tell you later, but you have to fill your end of that promise too. I was good…" I say, referencing our – erm – conversation the night before.

"Yeah not happening. So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't care. Although we haven't exactly fully experience your geek room…" I say with a sly smile.

"Ugh. Fine. Ever played COD?" The brunette asked

"A couple times with Puck."

"Come along then, let a true master show you the tricks of the trade." I arched an eyebrow at this.

"True master? Really?"

She laughed, and replied, "You haven't seen me play yet. You will agree that I am a true master." With this she adopted a smug and aloof expression.

"And modest too." *Insert sarcasm here*

"Yeah whatever. Come on."

An hour and a half later, after getting my ass whooped by Rachel at COD, we went back downstairs. Judging by the aroma, the pancakes appeared to be done. And done they were. A huge stack of amazing-looking vegan pancakes was the first thing I saw, and became the only thing I saw. A long finger reached over and shut my gaping mouth.

"Quinn, stop drooling. It's unbecoming." Rachel told me. I blushed, and mumbled an apology.

"It's quite all right. Now eat. These are incredibly good." She was right. The pancakes were incredibly good. After we were done eating I went back upstairs to check my cell phone, which I had not checked since yesterday afternoon. The screen blared: **11 new messages, 2 new voicemails**

I checked the text messages first.

**Satan: Hey Q, did u find a place to stay?**

**Britt-Britt: I fnd LT smoking agn!**

**Satan: B had an emergency. Lord Tub ate some more cigarettes. Where r u? Don't tell me u went home again…**

**Britt-Britt: Q who r u styng w? **

**Mother: Quinn wherever you are, don't get yourself killed. And don't get knocked up again.**

I made a face at the crudeness of my mother.

**Puck: Sup baby mama! **

**Satan: U did remember that u, B, and I are hanging out today, right?**

**Britt-Britt: r u stl cmg 2 th prk 1?**

Shit! I forgot! I closed my phone, not even bothering to read the rest of the messages, checked the clock, 12:56, and rushed downstairs.

"Rachel! I totally forgot! I made plans to hang out with Santana and Brittany today! I'm so sorry I didn't tell you." I rushed the words out of my mouth, and ended up having to release a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Err – yeah that's fine. Are you coming back tonight?" She asked.

"If you'll let me."

"Awesome! See ya later!"

I smiled, pulled her in for a quick hug, kissed her on the cheek, and about ran out the door.

Given that Lima was such a small town, the park was a few blocks away from Rachel's house. I ran the distance, grateful for the rigorous training Coach puts us through. I got to the park only 3 minutes later than 1, and grinned with my victory over time. I walked up to Santana and Brittany, who were talking animatedly. This was a very strange occurrence, because the two were usually just seen with each other, not talking to each other. Neither Santana nor Brittany were much for talking a lot. Well, maybe Brittany was. But still.

"Sup homies?" I said as I walked up.

Santana turned to stare at me, with an incredulous expression.

"Uh… what?" I asked, wondering what was going on.

"Why, of all people, did you have to pick Berry?" Santana suddenly asked.

"I – but – how did you know?" Santana turned and pointed at Brittany.

"Ah." My sometimes-ditzy blonde friend actually has amazing insight into people's lives and minds. More often than not, she knows what I think before I know, and knows what I would do before I do it, or even think of doing it. It's actually kind of creepy.

"Well? Answer me. Why Berry?" Santana prodded.

"She was the first person since you guys that showed me true kindness and compassion. Plus she's actually not as bad as she acts. On the inside, she's pretty normal."

Santana scoffed. "Surrreee she's normal."

"San, honey, don't be a bitch." Brittany said, as she was the only one that could bring Santana out of her shell. The Latina walked over and snaked her arms around Brittany's waist.

"For you, anything." She said to her girlfriend.

"D'awwwwww! You guys are so cute…" I really never could get over how good my two best friends were together. It was adorable.

"Shut it, Fabray. You're just jealous of us." Santana retorted.

"Of course I am. Everybody is." I smirked. But she was right. I was jealous. My mind drifted to thoughts of a certain brunette, before I tried to focus back on reality, thinking _I'mnotgayI'mnotgayI'mnotgay_ to myself.

**_Surrreee you aren't._**

Shut up Charlie.

Back to reality…

"Oh, come on Quinn. Admit it. You want to be us." Brittany, surprisingly, added.

"Well, I guess. But I'm not-" I tried to clarify.

"Gay? Labels don't matter. If you fall in love with someone, who cares whether or not they have a dick? Love deals with the heart and the mind, not with what society considers being gay or not gay." Santana told me.

"You could be a bicorn, like me!" Brittany exclaimed in excitement.

I laughed and gave my friend a one-armed hug. "Maybe, Britts."

"So when do we get to meet Berry?" Santana asked.

"But you've already met her…" I asked, with a questioning look on my face.

"No, we've met Rachel Barbra Berry, Broadway-aspiring superstar diva. We haven't met Rachel Berry, almost normal person. We haven't met _your_ Rachel." I blushed at Rachel being called mine.

"Wowwww Fabray. You have it badddd."

"Shut up, Satan." I growled back.

"And Satan converted you to the dark side." She teased.

"And you don't even have cookies. Tsk tsk." I joked along.

"I have cookies, little girl. Just get in the large white van." We all burst out laughing. This is why I loved these two. It wasn't the popularity, or being the head cheerleaders, or being the most badass girls in school. It was the fact that I could laugh and joke with them, and they would still always be there for me when I turned around and was serious. Even if we go different places after high school; even if we have fights sometimes; even if we fall in love with different people; we will always, always be the Unholy Trinity. Now and forever.

**A/N: Hey there people. So this was kind of a shorter chapter, I just wanted to work in Santana and Brittany. They will become pretty involved in the story, because Brittana is awesome. :) So… yeah. Read and Review please. Especially review. I thank everyone who already as, and to everybody else: pretty pretty pleaseee with spaghetti on top! :D Oh and if anyone's interested, check out my other little songfic type thing on fiction press **

** s/3047801/1/Miserable_at_Best**

** Peace out.  
**


	8. Brittana, meet Rachel Berry

Chapter 8

**QPOV**

"Hey, Rach, are you home?" I asked over the phone.

"Yeah. Do you need something?"

"Kind of. I'm bringing someone over to meet you. That cool with you?"

"Sure. Wait, but aren't you with Brittany and Santana? Are you bringing them over? They've already met me. They most definitely have met me. They've met me so much that I'm physically afraid of what Santana might do to me in my own house. Please don't tell me you're bringing them over. There's really no need. Nothing good can come from them meeting me _again_. They didn't like me the first time. Or the second time. Or third. Why would they be nice to me a hundred slushies later?" Rachel started to speak with an underlying tone of bitterness and fear.

"Rachel, it will be okay. I'm there, aren't I? Santana may be rougher than I am, but I'm still on top. I'm still captain, and she's still second-in-command. I'm meaner, colder, and ultimately more badass than Santana is. You would be fine; I would make sure nothing happened. However, if you absolutely can't stand the thought of them coming to meet you, then I guess I won't force anything. I've already imposed enough on your life. But I want you to talk to somebody before you decide."

"And who might that-"

"HI RACHEL!" Brittany shouted into the phone.

I laughed and could almost see Rachel holding the phone away from her ear in shock.

"So I know you don't like me very much, but I also know that's just because I went along with what the other people did to you, but I never thought it was right. Or funny. I'm really sorry that I never stood up for you, because I really wanted to, but I didn't know what would happen if I did. Last time something like that happened, me and San were separated, and I didn't want that to happen. But I promise if anything happens to you at school from now on I'll be nice and I'll tell those jerks to back off, 'kay? Cause now you're one of us! I'm excited! Aren't you? I'm glad that Quinn-" And here is the point at which I cut off my bubbly and talkative friend.

"Speaking of Quinn, here I am! Hey, Santana, come get you girlfriend away from my cell phone. Okay. Hi there. So what do you think? Given two out of the three in the Unholy Trinity are on your side, are you still completely set against B and S coming to see you?" I asked, hoping Rachel would give my two best friends a chance to make up for their past mistakes.

"I don't know… I'm still apprehensive about this. I only had to deal with you for three years. I had to deal with them for seven. Well, I guess I just had to deal with Santana for seven. But I think of myself as a very forgiving person, and I don't want to deny them the right to… I don't know, be nice for once? So, sure. Bring them over. But don't hurry. I have to stash away all cold liquids." We both chuckled a little at this.

"Awesome, we should be there in 10."

"See you then."

"Okay bye."

I turned to Santana and Brittany, who both had identical expressions of expectation. I decided to keep a grave face, and acted very somber. "She said…" I paused for dramatic effect. "Sure." I broke into a smile after I said this.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Santana snapped and started walking away at a brisk pace.

"Hey S." I called

"What?" She shot back over shoulder.

"Wrong way."

"Oh." She blushed and turned around, going the right way. I smirked.

"Eager much?"

She snorted. "Eager to see a munchkin? Not a chance. I need to pee."

Brittany turned to me and whispered in my ear. "No she doesn't." I laughed, and jogged to catch up with Santana. This was definitely going to be interesting.

**RPOV**

I'm pretty sure I'm wearing holes in the rug from pacing so much.

_BrittanyandSantanaarecomingB rittanySantanacomingBrittany SantanaAAAAAAAHHHHH!_

Continued to course throughout my head, on repeat. The two people other than Quinn who have made my life absolutely miserable in school are now supposed to walk through my front door any second now. Again: this is _impossible_. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathing! Yes! Panic attack crisis averted. This small victory made me smile, and this is how I could keep a smile on my face when I heard a knock on the door, followed by the face of a latina I knew very well looking through the window at me. That smirk. It still sends a spear of fear straight down my spine, just as the cold of the usual soon-to-follow slushy shoots down my spine. My body automatically tensed up out of reflex, but I forced myself to walk those five steps and open the door. My intention to stay at least 6 feet away from the two additional cheerleaders was thrown out the window when I was knocked off my feet by a tall blonde's bear hug.

"I am _so_ sorry about how we treated you. That was terrible and wrong and I'm sorry." Brittany said in my ear. And then added, "And Santana's really sorry too."

When she let me go, I responded coldly. "Thank you Brittany, but I do believe Santana has a mouth of her own and can apologize herself." I glared at the brunette in question, and then looked to the head cheerleader behind her for reassurance. Quinn had an amused but ever wary expression on her face, and was also staring at Santana.

**Omniscient POV**

"Look, Berr-Rachel. I bet Q already gave you this spiel, but I'll say it again. We – no, _I_ – never had anything against you. I still don't. I bet you're a terrific person, and I know, deep down inside, in a place Auntie Snix can't get to, that you absolutely do not deserve any of the stuff that we've done to you, or have had done to you. I sincerely apologize for doing any of it. It was, as Britts said, terrible and wrong and I'm sorry. But the thing you have to understand is _why_ I did all those things to you. I knew that I shouldn't have. I know I shouldn't do it to anyone else either. But honestly, if Q wasn't staying with you and relying on you, I probably would continue. I don't stop treating people like crap until they prove to me that they shouldn't be. I know that's a fucked up way of thinking, but it's how I do. It keeps order in high school. Because I may be a colossal bitch, but I can tell you with certainty that there is someone out there now or in the future that would make me look like a teddy bear. And the only way that we can tell is if I give them an inch and they take a mile. Q and B don't think that way. So it becomes my job. This is not meant to excuse my actions, because they are inexcusable. However, understand, while I try to achieve your forgiveness, that there was a reason behind what I did. Also, feel fucking special, because I never say please." Rachel was confused by this last sentence, until she saw Santana get down on one knee, as if to propose, and said, very sincerely, "Rachel Berry, will you please forgive me?"

Three pairs of eyes stared at the kneeling girl in shock and astonishment, and three jaws hung loose seeing her pride pushed away. The two blondes knew that the only time they had seen Santana put this much effort into an apology was to get Brittany back, and Brittany was the love of her life. The remaining one of the three had never seen Santana show this much emotion at all, except for anger. The anger

"Will somebody say something? I need this knee for practice on Monday." Santana quipped.

"You are forgiven, and that was the most beautiful apology I have ever heard." Rachel eventually said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Santana scowled and stood up, dusting imaginary carpet fuzz off her leg. She walked back to the other two cheerleaders, and nudged Quinn.

"You're up, Fabray."

**QPOV**

Crap. I can't exactly say anything up to the standard set just now by my latina friend. What am I supposed to do? Racking brain, racking brain, racking brain… I realized I was standing there like an idiot with my mouth gaping, so I quickly shut it, and told everyone to close their eyes for a second.

Quickly I walked over to Rachel, and whispered in her ear, "Don't freak out, my adorable strawberry. Remember, I'm a knight? That means I must uphold the code of chivalry or something like that." She smiled, and then I picked her up like a bridegroom. I then made my way over to a different room and set her down in a random chair.

"I realized that what I have to say won't live up to Santana's apology, and I also didn't really want to say it in front of those two. I've already apologized many times, but here's once more. I am so, so very incredibly sorry for treating you like we did. You can't even imagine the intensity of the hate I have for myself for doing that to you. It was a terrible way to treat another human being, and you in no way, shape, or form deserved it. I know that I don't deserve the sympathy you have shown towards me, and I don't deserve your help. You are a much better person than I am, by far. But I also know that, because you have helped me, I will never, _ever_ let anything like the past few years happen to you _ever _again. Even if I have to fly to New York to protect you, I will, because I had not right to do this to you, and I would spend the rest of my life making it up to you." I had no idea where any of this was coming from. I went back to what I asked myself yesterday afternoon: what made Rachel Berry different? I wouldn't say this to just anybody, but I also knew I meant it with every fiber of my being.

**_Learning, she is_****.**

Go away Charlie. I don't need a voice over.

I looked back to Rachel, and saw tears in her eyes. I grabbed her hands and stared into the chocolate-colored pools of warmth.

"I mean that. I won't get on one knee, but Rachel Berry, will you please forgive me for all the terrible things I've said and done?" She nodded her head and pulled me into a hug. I rested my cheek against the top of her head, and we stayed like this for a few minutes, until Brittany and Santana entered the room.

"What the hell, Q? Why'd you ditch – oh. Uh. We'll come back." Santana finished. Rachel laughed and wiped her eyes.

"No, you guys, it's fine. Stay." The other two cheerleaders cautiously stepped back into the room.

"So I'm guessing the apology went well?" Santana asked after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Yeah." I replied.

More awkward silence.

"Screw this. Let's do something fun!" Santana piped up again. Suddenly I started jumping up and down.

"Rachel, show them the geek room!"

"Are you sure? Will they be interested in it?"

"I was, wasn't I?"

"True dat. Come on then you lot, I'm about to show you somethin' you ain't neva seen before…" Rachel said dramatically, making us all laugh, before we bounded up the stairs.

I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship…

**A/N: Sup guys? So this is a chapter I am pretty proud of, despite the long paragraphs of speech. So I guess just tell me what you think. Read and Review pretty please! Thanks for all the review so far BTW. Peace out.**


	9. Reflected in your Eyes

Chapter 9

**QPOV**

I walked Brittany and Santana back to their respective houses after a few hours, listening to Santana grumbling.

"What was that?" I asked in response to her mumble after we left the Berry residence.

"Maybe she's not _that_ bad." I grinned in victory in response to this statement.

"And if you tell _anyone_ I said that, I WILL go Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass."

"Love you too, S." I replied cheekily, stopping at her front door.

"Whatever, Fabray. Later." She said with a fist bump, then turned to Brittany.

"Bye Britt-Britt." I turned around as Brittany threw herself at Santana, and I waited the respectful 5 minutes, before turning back around and pulling Brittany gently away, in the direction of her house.

"Come on, B. We have to go. Lord Tubbington is probably waiting for you." Santana glared at me, but didn't comment as she let Brittany go.

"Love you." She whispered. Brittany grinned and whispered back.

"Love you too."

"Okay, you guys are adorable. We've already established that. Now let's get a move on." Santana punched me in the arm.

"OW! What the hell?"

Santana scoffed. "Like that hurt you." I immediately straightened up.

"Yeah whatever. See you." Britts and I walked away, her babbling on about how Lord Tubbington wasn't eating his fondue anymore. I absentmindedly nodded, while my head was occupied with other thoughts; namely about a certain brunette that continued to confusing me.

"Q? You just agreed that Puck and Finn and Sam should have threesome. Are you a little preoccupied?" My first shock was that Brittany new what the word 'preoccupied' meant; and my second was that the idea of a threesome between the guys wasn't actually as repulsive as I thought. Hmmm… Suddenly I realized Brittany was still staring at me with an expectant expression. I turned red as I recalled Brittany's actual question, and responded tentatively.

"Maybe a little."

"You were thinking about Rachel, weren't you?"

"Um…"

"That's what I thought. Look, Q, I'm not going to tell you exactly what is going on, but it's right in front of your face. Just look. I can tell you, though, that Rachel is a bicorn, like me. If that helps you piece this together." I probably looked like a fish out of water, my mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out. What is it with people – or I guess voices in my head too – telling me that there is something that I'm not understanding? And why won't tell me what it is?

"Quinn, I know you. I know what you do when you are afraid or confused. Don't do it this time. Punch a wall, have a bitch fight with Santana, or talk to one of us; but I can tell you that if you let HBIC take over, Rachel will get hurt. And San and I love you, but if you hurt Rachel, it will be like if you hurt me. And what have we made perfectly clear to every student and teacher in WMHS?"

"Nobody hurts Brittany." I said in a low voice.

"Exactly. Do this for me. Be careful." She then changed from insightful Brittany to bouncy Brittany and grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug. After a minute, I choked out.

"Britt. Can't. Breathe." She immediately let me go, apologizing.

"It's fine. So how's Lord T?" I asked, eager for a change of subject.

"Not very good." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I found him smoking again." I gave a grave nod, and continued walking.

"Should we check him into rehab again?" I asked, remembering how I had to keep the cat for a week, to convince Brittany that he was getting over his 'addiction'. Then again, my mom couldn't find her cigarettes anyway, so, who knows, maybe the cat does smoke.

"I don't know. If it gets bad enough. He won't even eat his fondue."

"Brittany, we've told you: it's not healthy for Lord Tubbington to eat hot cheese."

"But it's like milk, just… cheese."

"Yeah, so it isn't exactly milk. Just ease up on the fondue, okay?" I said as we got to Brittany's house.

"Okay. Thanks Quinn. And remember what I said." I nodded, and gave the other blonde a quick hug, before turning and heading back to Rachel's house.

I suddenly got an idea, and turned the other way, walking towards town.

**RPOV**

I flopped on the couch, going over the past few hours in my mind. How did this come to be? Me. Hanging out with THE Unholy Trinity. And them being _nice_. Even, dare I say, _friendly_? I then thought back to the past two days in general, and realized the whole thing seemed kind of ridiculous. Quinn Fabray. _Quinn Fabray_. She's my friend. I think. I frowned and scrunched my nose when I thought this, as I really wanted to believe that we are friends. A part of me can't forget the past, but the rest of me just wants to move forward. That other part of me probably won't forgive the three Cheerios for a long time, but it doesn't mean that I have to constantly live in resentment. I smiled as I remembered this morning, lying in bed with Quinn. Because of this, I realized later that I fell asleep on the couch with a smile on my face.

**QPOV**

I walked into the Berry household to find a very adorable Rachel fast asleep sprawled on the couch. I grinned and walked into the kitchen, placing the newly-purchased vegan ice cream in the freezer, and the 2-liter bottle of soda on the counter next to it. When I went back into the living room, Rachel was curled up, and was whimpering softly. I set the rented movie down on an end table, and sat on the edge of the couch next to the sleeping girl. She looked fearful of something, probably in a dream, and I couldn't stand her look of anguish. I reached forward and brushed the hair out of her face, and ended up running my fingers through the rest of her hair too. Jesus, it was soft… A small smile spread across the lips of the brunette, and she seemed to calm down significantly. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, and stood up to go look for one of the Berry men. I found Hiram walking down a hallway upstairs, into what appeared to be an office.

"Yes, Quinn?" He addressed me.

"Sir-" I began, only to be cut off.

"Look, I may not be as easy going as Leroy, but you don't have to call me sir." He smiled. "It makes me feel old."

"Oh. Okay. Well, I was going to say that I feel bad about staying here out of… charity? I was thinking that if I were to stay here any longer than a couple days that we might set up a rent plan or something. Or maybe I could do something that would be of use to you guys, so that I'm not taking advantage of Rachel's generosity. I don't have much money of my own, as my parents own most of it, but I could still-" Hiram cut me off again.

"I'm going to stop you right there. You will not pay us, you will not work for us, and you will not feel as if you owe us a debt. You owe nothing to Leroy and I. You owe nothing to our household as a whole. The only person to whom you may owe anything is Rachel, because she _has_ shown you compassion, and that is a virtue. However, you are not staying here on charity, as you put it. We do not house anybody out of charity. That would mean that we would pick people up off the street and have them come live with us. This is not the case. You are staying here because of Rachel. She doesn't bring home just anyone. The fact that she thought you should stay here means that you deserve to. Once you entered this house, you became, if temporarily-" but he muttered under his breath, "Although I don't think so." He continued speaking in a normal voice. "-part of our family. Plus, I don't know if I would be able to live with myself in the future if I asked for rent from-" He stopped himself from saying something, and dismissed it. "-never mind." I was puzzled at this, and even more so when he muttered under his breath again. "I'm not sure yet. But then again…" I don't think I was supposed to hear this, as Hiram then looked up at me, and finished his speech as if nothing happened. "So no payment. At all. Got that?"

I nodded. "Yes si- Hiram."

"Good. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some work to do. Oh, by the way, Leroy and I are going out tonight. You and Rachel have fun. We should be back around 11." He added with a smirk and a mock parental tone, "Don't have a party, and don't burn the house down." We chuckled, and then I went downstairs to find Rachel sitting up with some pretty spectacular bed-head.

"Well hello there sleepyhead."

She grumbled something that sounded a little like 'Screw you' and collapsed back onto the couch, trying to go back to sleep.

"Nuh uh, you aren't going back to sleep now. Huh. I just realized you are starting to sound a bit like Santana…"

Rachel shot to her feet and shouted, "I am _not_ like Santana!"

"Cool it, I was just trying to get you up." I smirked. "It worked, though, didn't it?"

"Yeah whatever." She said, crossing her arms and huffing.

"Santana said the exact same thing to me earlier." I grinned at the range of emotions that went across the girl's face, and settled on one of disgruntlement. She stamped her foot, and walked past me to the kitchen. A minute later, she called out,

"Quinn, why's there soda in here?" Oh yeah. That. I walked in and saw her staring at the bottle as if it was going to bite her.

"Surprise…" I said. "I got ice cream too." Before she managed to protest, I cut her off. "Vegan, of course."

"Oh."

"So, I was thinking. (A dangerous past-time, I know.) Your dads are going to be out for a few hours tonight, and I was wondering: girls' night? If I'm gonna be staying here, we might as well have fun. I got my favorite movie from the video rental store down the street. I was also thinking, maybe we could watch Funny Girl too, since I've never seen it, and you seem to like it quite a bit if I recall correctly."

"_Like_ it? I LOVE it! It is the best Broadway play I have ever seen, and I have seen many. It is also one of the best movies ever, and Barbra Streisand's acting is superb. Did you know I'm named after her? Yes, my middle name is Barbra! It's destiny! Or my dads' doing. But either way, Funny Girl is one of the reasons that I wish to become a star on Broadway…" Rachel continued to ramble on about Broadway, Barbra Streisand, New York, and Funny Girl. This was the girl that our high school knew. The hyper and obsessed diva that talks too much. The strange thing, though, was that I still found her pretty adorable. I had met both sides of Rachel Berry, and it turns out I like them both, despite how I acted before, and despite how most people react to the diva. This girl reminds me a bit of Brittany, with her insight versus her unicorns and rainbows. Once I realized the other girl had stopped talking, I piped up.

"Which first? Your favorite or mine?"

"Hmm… Yours. I'm wondering what it is."

I nervously smiled. "I'm not sure if you will like it…"

She walked forward a bit and grabbed my hand, pulling me back into the living room. I tried to ignore the tingles and warmth that came from her hand on mine.

"You like it. I know I'll like it." She reassured me. I grinned and reached around her, picking up the bag, and about dragged Rachel upstairs, eager to use her lovely, gigantic television.

"Excited much?" She asked, but was smiling also. I popped the movie in, and sat back on the tiny couch in the middle of the geek room. As I settled leaning against the armrest, Rachel tucked her feet beside her, and scooted closer, resting against me. I smiled and removed my arm from underneath her, wrapping it around her shoulders.

Suddenly she was laughing, staring at the screen.

"This one? This is your favorite movie?" I felt slightly indignant.

"Yeah…"

"Aww, I wasn't teasing. I used to love this movie." Hearing this, I recovered quickly.

"Well who wouldn't? British people are awesome." She grinned, and we settled as the opening to 'Bend it like Beckham' played. I leaned over and kissed the top of her head, and let my head rest there for a few moments, feeling very… strange. It was a feeling I couldn't identify. As I returned to my original position, I turned and saw Rachel staring at me with that same intense look that I can't figure out. It's almost like…

Oh. _Oh._

Whoa. I should've seen that.

But this realization wasn't the most surprising one.

I now know what my feeling looked like to other people.

I have the same expression as the girl next to me.

Yup, I'm definitely gay for Rachel Berry.

**A/N: Hey peoples. I have absolutely no idea if this chapter is any good… I kind of liked the end I guess. But I don't know. So please read and review! BTW, updates may become a bit more scattered, because school is starting soon, and I'm also trying to rewatch the first two seasons of Glee to look for Faberry interaction. Reconnaissance for information, ya know? Also, I finally got around to watching the finale, and it made me cry. And the Pretty/Unpretty duet is now my favorite song now. I might be gleeking just a bit. Okay, enough of my rambling. Please review! Thanks for the reviews so far! Peace out.**


	10. Fix You

Chapter 10

**RPOV**

_I thought that I heard you laughing_

_I thought that I heard you sing_

_I think I thought I saw you cry…_

Losing my Religion by REM. It's a great song. It also applies very well right now. I stared back at Quinn, seeing something in her eyes that almost resembled… Well, it was a mix of curiosity and possessiveness. A very strange combination indeed. Suddenly I saw a look of realization cross her face, then her eyes hardened, and she pulled away from me. The emotion I had seen was gone. Her walls went back up. Her body stiffened, and her presence emanated cold distance. I felt my heart break.

_But that was just a dream_

_That was just a dream_

**QPOV**

Part of me is guilty. Part of me wants to turn back to Rachel, wrap my arms around her, tell her everything will be okay; that we can… I don't even know. That we can be happy? Together. Part of me wants to accept this newfound feeling. Part of me wants _her_.

But I am a coward. The rest of me is screaming to get out, to run away, to go somewhere nobody can find me, and to forget everything that had happened over the past couple days. The rest of me was screaming to forget everything I was feeling, forget about the brunette next to me, forget about the Berry household, forget all of it. After all, I am Head Bitch in Charge, head Cheerio, perfect daughter, perfect Christian. I am Quinn freaking Fabray, and I am definitely _not gay_. I _do not_ feel that way about a girl. Hell, I don't feel much at all about anyone. At least, that's what I told myself. That's what I told everybody else.

Truth is, I feel a lot. Sometimes I think I feel too much. Anger, joy, sadness, longing, love; I feel all of these and more every single day, and it hurts more than most people could ever imagine if they didn't know. Nobody knows this about me, though. Actually, let me correct myself there, I haven't _told_ anyone this about myself. One person knows anyway. Any guesses? Well, Brittany knows. She really is kind of freaky that way. I started contemplating my blonde best friend, and wondering how many things she really is right about, but nobody takes her seriously…

**_Did _****_you_****_ take her seriously?_**

What the hell? I thought you were gone.

**_Thought, or hoped?_**

Screw you.

**_You wish._**

Hey, I just realized something.

**_And what would that be, oh great one?_**

You remind of Santana.

**_You know it. You may be after Rachel, but I, on the other hand, can totally admire a fine piece of Latina ass if I see it._**

Ewww…

**_Hahaha. That's just cause you know I'm right._**

Okay, not even going there. Why are you talking (is it talking?) to me anyway?

**_For an answer to my first question. Did you take Brittany seriously?_**

When?

**_You know when. She knows you. She knew you would do this. She told you so. I repeat: did you take her seriously? _**

Of course I took her ser-

**_Be honest. Be honest to yourself for once in your life._**

… I don't know. I didn't think it would come to this. This is just all so-

**_Scary? Confusing? Nerve-wracking? Do you seriously think that nobody else feels this way? Are you that self-centered that you don't believe that this happens to millions of people every day? This is normal. What you are feeling, it is _****_normal_****_. So chill out, and get over yourself. If you don't want to deal with what is going on, then fine. Be that way. But don't you DARE freeze Rachel out. This is just reinforcing the words of your freaking genius of a friend earlier. Open your eyes! _****_You are hurting Rachel_****_. _**

But what can I do?

**_Simple answer? Don't. Don't freeze her out, don't put your walls back up, don't become mean, don't become distant, and don't hurt her any more than you already have. Let her love you. If you return it, great, but for now just let her love you._**

Okay.

**_I will hold you to your word. Your mind can be beaten up just as well, if not worse, than your body can. The body part of that will be handled by the only two other people that can and will, but the mind part will be handled by ME. And if you thought I was like Santana before, you will learn just how similar we really are. Clear?_**

Crystal.

**_Good. Now return to earth. I believe a pleasant surprise will be awaiting you._**

As I slowly regained coherence, a sweet melody in a gentle and angelic voice reached my ears.

_When you try your best, but you don't succeed  
When you get what you want, but not what you need  
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep  
Stuck in reverse_

My eyes filled with unshed tears, as I felt the meaning behind what the girl was singing.

_And the tears come streaming down your face  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone, but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse?_

_Lights will guide you home_  
_And ignite your bones_  
_And I will try to fix you_

_And high up above or down below_  
_When you're too in love to let it go_  
_But if you never try you'll never know_  
_Just what you're worth_

By this point I was flat out sobbing, while those chocolate pools of kindness just kept staring at me.

_Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you_

_Tears stream down on your face_  
_When you lose something you cannot replace_  
_Tears stream down on your face_  
_And I..._

_Tears stream down on your face_  
_I promise you that I will learn from my mistakes_  
_Tears stream down on your face_  
_And I..._

_Lights will guide you home_  
_And ignite your bones_  
_And I will try to fix you_

When she finished, holding the last note until it gently faded, I launched myself at Rachel, and she held me as I cried into the side of her neck. After a few minutes of this, I pulled myself together, and finally spoke, muffled by her shoulder.

"W-why do you care? Nobody's ever cared about me this much…"

"Shh, that's not true." She said, rubbing small, comforting circles on my back with her thumbs. "They cared. We all care. I just choose to express it through song. Surprising, huh?" She smiled, and I gave a watery chuckle.

"But it's not just that. You're just… there for me. You let me stay here, you looked right through me to see what was wrong, you have done everything for me, and a- all I've been is horrible to you! You should hate me." I mumbled the last part, turning until I was wrapped more securely in Rachel's arms, feeling warm and comfortable, despite the topic of conversation. I felt the girl's chest rise and fall as she sighed deeply.

"I could never hate you…" She murmured into the top of my hair. "I've just accepted it as a fact of life; like getting my Tony, or _Funny Girl_ remaining a classic forever." If I wasn't concentrated on the first part of that sentence, I would have laughed at this.

"No matter how much I've hurt you?"

"Water off a duck's back."

"Brittany likes ducks." I suddenly said. Rachel's chest rumbled slightly as she let out a chuckle.

"Of course she does. Speaking of Brittany, I have a question about her."

"Shoot."

"Well, she seems really – well, to be blunt, clueless. She also seems harmless. But I'm betting she isn't, is she?"

I grew grave, as I remembered both Brittany and Charlie's threats.

"No. No she isn't. She can see things in people that even they themselves don't know. She knows so much more than anybody gives her credit for, although she expresses it in strange ways. And no, she is definitely not harmless. I'm pretty sure that she knows at least 5 different types of martial arts; plus she's a Cheerio and a dancer, and has an absolutely stellar body. Brittany may seem gentle, but she can snap us in half in a heartbeat if she wanted."

Rachel nodded slowly, before asking her next question.

"And Santana?" I smiled a little.

"Santana is… intricate."

"What do you mean?"

"She is so much deeper than most people know, and she cares so much more than most people think. Everyone thinks she is a heartless bitch, but she isn't. She feels. She feels so much, and it hurts her so much more than she lets on." Me too, I added in my head. "Santana is one of the few people in life that I understand, and that understands me. It's one of the reasons why we don't betray each other. We have fights, little spats; but we have too much on each other to stab the other in the back." Maybe something was hidden in my voice, but the next thing Rachel said threw me off balance.

"What about you?" I sat up, bolt upright.

"I –I don't understand." I stammered out.

"What do most people not know about Quinn Fabray?"

My mind started running off a long list of things I had longed for years to tell someone. I stopped it halfway through my fears and insecurities, and tried to carefully word my answer, while still being honest.

"I… I get hurt a lot. That's why I act the way I do. It's a defense mechanism. In no way is that an excuse, but it's how I cope." I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "That's me. Satisfied?"

"Nowhere close." She said in a low voice. She turned and motioned for me to scoot over, and, when I did, she lay down, her head in my lap. I stiffened, but relaxed quickly, and started to stroke her hair lightly.

"I should tell you about myself, shouldn't I?"

"Mmhmm." I hummed in assent. Then I remembered something. "What happened last night? We were cool, and then you started crying and telling me I was too perfect or something like that. What was that all about?" She took a deep breath.

"Promise you won't judge me?" I scoffed.

"I would never." She smiled a little.

"First of all, I'm bi." She closed her eyes, probably waiting to be pushed away, scorned by the great and righteous fanatical-Christian Quinn Fabray.

"I know." Was probably _not_ the expected answer. Her eyes flew open, and she stared at me in confusion. I laughed a little.

"Brittany?" She asked a few seconds later, realization dawning on her.

"Brittany." I responded.

"Ah. And you're fine with that?" She asked uncertainly.

"Sure. Come on, I'm staying in the household of two gay men; and my two best friends, both _girls_, are in love with each other. You really think I would have a problem with you being bi?" She mumbled something under her breath.

"What was that?" I queried.

"It's different, and you know it."

"Doesn't have to be. One of the valuable things I learned from high school is that it isn't awkward unless you make it. Just because you aren't one of my closest friends ever doesn't mean I'm going to judge." I gave her a pointed look, which very clearly said 'don't say a word about anything more than that'. She backed off, and continued her story.

"So I've had some issues with… people."

"Oh?" I said with a signature Fabray eyebrow raise. "Do tell."

She took a very deep breath, and let out a stream of words.

"The only person in the past that I have truly loved d- damaged me." She choked a little on emotion, before continuing. "Her name was Nicole. I thought she was perfect." She looked up at me, and smiled a sad little smile. "Not as perfect as you…" I blushed, and this seemed to give Rachel some courage.

"Short story version: I thought she loved me back, but I was wrong. We were best friends, then we went out for a bit, and I told her how much I loved her. She freaked out and left, but eventually came back. She never said she loved me back. Never." The brunette chuckled a little. "Never have I ever…" Focusing back on the topic, she kept talking. "One night at a party, I walked into a room, trying to find the bathroom, and found her with a guy. She noticed me, and looked up. I will never forget the look in her eyes. It was one of pain, and of affection, but not of guilt. There was no guilt. I walked out, and she chased after me. Outside, she told me that she cared for me, and she didn't want me to be hurt, but that she didn't love me the same way. Obviously I flipped out, asking why she went out with me in the first place then, but she just shook her head, and said she had been confused." Tears had formed in Rachel's eyes. "Confused my ass. I took a little time after that to drive around town and calm down, but eventually I made my way back to the party. It was coming down from the peak, and there were only a few couples swaying to a slow song. I saw her slow dancing with the same guy. I would have been angry, but I stopped myself for a moment. I looked at her face, and how her eyes were lit up." The girl in my lap sniffled, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "She was happy. That was all I ever wanted. She loved this… _dude_, with a love she never had for me. Sure, I was jealous, but not in a possessive way. I was jealous that he was good enough for her, when I never was. In that moment, I realized I was never good enough for anyone." She snorted. "I don't actually believe that Finn wouldn't dump me in a heartbeat if someone better came along. I guess that isn't a very high bar to fill though." Finished, Rachel made to sit up, but I pinned her down by the shoulders, leaning over so that she was forced to look at me.

"Okay, let's get one thing absolutely, positively, crystal clear. You aren't 'not good enough for anyone'. If Nicole couldn't see that, then she can go fuck herself for all I care. If Finn can't see that either, then it just proves the fact that he's brain damaged." I ignored the small 'hey!' this received. "You are one of the most amazing, talented, beautiful, most desirable girls I have ever met, and don't you think for one second that just because one girl was too blind to see that, that it was your fault."

"But she didn't want me…" Rachel said in a small voice. I was fed up, and made a quick decision. I nudged her head off my lap, then got up and walked over to get my phone. Hitting number 2 on my speed dial, I waited, tapping my foot until the person on the other end picked up.

"What the hell, Q? Why are you calling me this late?" I glanced at my watch, and scoffed.

"Come on, it's only 8:30. Now, I need you to confirm something for me. Hang on, let me put you on speaker." I pushed the speaker phone button, and walked back to Rachel, setting the phone in between us.

"Okay, I need you to tell Rachel that she isn't undesirable."

"Oh, hell naw hobbit. If I wasn't with Britts I would _totally_ tap that." Santana reassured her. Brittany's voice carried through faintly.

"Wait, San, do we get to have a threesome with Rachel? Cause that would be totally awesome. Although I guess Quinn would feel left out… We can include her too! Can we, Sanny? Pleeeassee?" Simultaneously Rachel turned bright red and I laughed, as my Latina friend gently explained to her girlfriend that, no, we could not have a foursome.

"See, Berry? Britt-Britt wants you too. But don't be putting any ideas in her head. I don't know you nearly well enough to carry through with what's in her head…" Rachel blushed darker, and I laughed harder.

"Thanks S. Tell B goodnight for me, 'kay?"

"Why don't I let her-"

"NIGHT QUINN! NIGHT RACHEL!" Brittany shouted through the phone, obviously having taken it from Santana. This time Rachel laughed with me, and we both added our chorus of goodnights.

"Phew, all right, got the phone back. So I guess have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't." She said in a mock stern voice. Rachel turned red again. She has a lot of getting used to them to do.

"So that pretty much leaves anything open?" I snarked. I could hear her chuckle into the phone.

"Just no meth. Oh, and Q, tell me how good Berry is in bed."

"SANTANA!" Rachel and I yelled, horrified at her implications. She cackled.

"'Night peoples."

"Don't you dare-" She hung up.

"She is _so_ dead."

**A/N: Sup guys! I haven't really updated in a while, but school is giving me hell at the moment. Sorry. But this is an extra-long chapter to try and make up for it. Tell me what you think. Reviews are 1/3 of my reason for writing, so please grace me with some! Peace out :)**

**PS: The songs were Losing My Religion by REM and covered by Cory Monteith, and Fix You by Coldplay and covered by Matthew Morrison  
**


	11. Second Chances

I do not own Glee. If I did, I would totally get my mack on with Dianna or Naya. But I don't. Freaking Ryan Murphy…

Chapter 11

**QPOV**

I yawned loudly after setting my phone aside, and Rachel gave me an incredulous look.

"You aren't seriously _tired_ at 8:45, are you?" She gaped at me.

"What can I say? All this emotional shit makes me sleepy." She chuckled at this.

"Well then take a nap. I'm not tired in the least, so I'll do whatever for a little bit." Drowsily, I nodded my head, and leaned up against the brunette. She smiled, and as I closed my eyes, I saw her reach for her phone, and start texting somebody.

* * *

A while later, I woke up, sprawled on the couch, with my arms wrapped around Rachel's waist. I blinked slowly, shifting to look up. The girl smirked at me, before setting down her phone, which she was still holding, and turning to look at me.

"You say strange things in your sleep, you know." I panicked, wondering what my subconscious was thinking about while I was in dreamland.

"What did I say?" I asked with urgency.

"Oh, not much. Just something about magical mushrooms. And potato ice cream…" She drifted off, seeming to ruminate over mushrooms and potatoes. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Last time I talked in my sleep, Santana gleaned a particularly private piece of information about me. I would hate for a repeat of that, especially with Rachel.

"What time is it?" I asked, wondering how long I slept. She checked the clock on her phone.

"10:53"

"Whoa."

"Yup." She responded, becoming engrossed in her phone again.

"Who ya texting?" I asked, feeling slightly ignored.

"Noah." This took a few moments to register, but when it did, I sat up and glared at her.

"PUCK?!" She turned back towards me, looking very alarmed.

"Uh, yeah… Is that a problem?" She asked, seeming befuddled.

"YES! He's _Puck!_ Of course it's a problem!"

"Excuse me, Quinn, but it is really none of your business who I do or do not text. After our failed romance last year, he and I have actually become friends, which is a welcome change. If you happen to remember, he was one of the many, _many_ people that would slushy me on a daily basis. Comparatively, I much prefer his friendship."

I spluttered, before finding my words, and shouting them at her. "But he is… an _incredibly TERRIBLE_ influence! He's a Lima loser, and will always be one!" She turned on me, with a restricted fire behind her eyes that I had never seen before.

"He has hurt you in a way none of us can even fathom, and that I will never forget. I have not forgiven him for doing that to someone I care about, and I will not until you do. However, everyone deserves a second chance." I tried to interject here, but Rachel held up her hand. "That's why you are sitting here right now, too. Do you think that he hurt me more than you did? Do you really think that you deserve more of a second chance than he does? Noah Puckerman is a troubled boy, yes, and he has made many bad decisions, yes, but he is also capable of responsibility and love. You of all people should know that. Don't remember the Puck that knocked you up; remember the Noah that cared for you in the 9 months that followed. Just think back for a minute: what was the worst part about staying at his house?"

"His mom wouldn't let me eat bacon." I grumbled. She laughed.

"See? That had nothing to do with him or negligence on his part. He is so much more than he appears to be. I'm not saying that your opinion of him should change or anything; but be aware that I am friends with him – and there really is nothing that the great and powerful Quinn Fabray can do about it." I looked at her in a completely different light. I just realized something that I had never thought about in my almost-17 years of existence. I truly _respect_ people that stand up to me.

"So?" She asked in a suddenly insecure voice. I broke into a grin.

"You really do see the best in people, don't you?" She nodded rapidly. I scooted closer and slung my arm around her shoulders.

"Well I guess then there isn't a thing that the great and powerful Quinn Fabray can do about it, is there?" Her lips curved into a small smile. I jumped up, getting an idea. I grabbed my iPod from my purse, and ran to the Apple dock. I plugged it in, and selected the song I wanted. I turned walking towards Rachel, and pulled her to her feet. As the intro played, she gave me a deer-in-headlights look.

"Oh no you didn't." I laughed.

"Oh yes I did." I waited through the intro, preparing to start the first verse, but Rachel cut me off. Her face lit up as she sang, and I swear, in my entire life, I will never get tired of seeing her like this.

_Something has changed within me _

_Something is not the same _

_I'm through with playing by the rules _

_Of someone else's game _

I jumped in for the second verse.

_Too late for second-guessing _

_Too late to go back to sleep _

_It's time to trust my instincts _

_Close my eyes: and leap! _

Our voices harmonized, as we joined in the chorus.

_It's time to try defying gravity _

_I think I'll try defying gravity_

_Kiss me goodbye _

_I am defying gravity_

_And you won't bring me down! _

For the rest of the song we continued to shift who was singing what, and, if I do say so myself; we sounded better than Kurt did.

_I'm through accepting limits _

_'cause someone says they're so _

_Some things I cannot change_

_But till I try, I'll never know! _

_Too long I've been afraid of _

_Losing love I guess I've lost _

_Well, if that's love _

_It comes at much too high a cost! _

_I'd sooner buy defying gravity _

_Kiss me goodbye _

_I'm defying gravity _

_I think I'll try defying gravity_

_And you won't bring me down!_

_I'd sooner buy defying gravity _

_Kiss me goodbye _

_I'm defying gravity _

_I think I'll try defying gravity_

_And you won't bring me down!_

_Bring me down!_

As she held the last glorious note, she positively beamed. I knew I had done my job well, as my entire aim was to cheer her up.

"Quinn, that was amazing!" I smirked.

"Well of course it was. It was my idea, wasn't it?" She lightly whacked my arm, and my smirk turned to a grin.

"Cocky much?"

"Annoying much?" I retorted.

"I'm hungry." She suddenly said, turning towards the door.

"There's still that ice cream down there…" I suggested.

"Ooh, yay!" She bounced into her room, and I followed; albeit less excitedly. We tiptoed down the stairs, given the late hour. Rachel got the kitchen first, and shrieked. I leapt down the last 4 steps, sprinting to get to her.

"_What happened?!_" I asked, panicking. Then I saw Leroy standing there, hands on hips, looking very much like one Rachel Berry. I suppose it runs in the family.

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot to tell you, your dads will be home around 11." She turned towards me, looking very irritated indeed.

"_No dip, _Sherlock." I shrugged.

"I didn't actually get any dip." She did not appreciate the humor.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I forgot!"

"Quinn, it's fine. Let me guess, ice cream?" Leroy asked, turning around to procure two bowls.

"Uh, yeah, actually. How did you know?" I asked.

"I heard singing. Knowing Rachel, hunger came next. By the way, you two sound very good together." He said, as he reached into the freezer. I turned pink and mumbled a 'thank you', but Rachel spoke up, feeling her expertise necessary.

"Yes, Daddy, Quinn's range and my talent usually meld together very well." Absentmindedly, I started humming 'I Feel Pretty/Unpretty'. Soon, I realized Rachel was singing along.

_You can buy your hair if it won't grow_

_You can fix your nose if you say so_

_You can buy all the makeup that MAC can make_

_But if_

_You can't look inside you_

_Find out who am I too_

_Be in a position to make me feel so_

_Damn Unpretty_

Reluctantly, I cut her off.

"I would love to show your dad how well our duet went, but I seriously do want to eat this before it melts." I said, pointing down at the bowl of Neapolitan ice cream. She pouted, and I melted a little inside.

"Another time?" Rachel brightened up immediately.

"Totally!" She then dug in with fervor, and I looked up to see Leroy wink at me.

After about 15 minutes of small talk with the two Berrys, we finished and made our way back upstairs. I collapsed backwards onto Rachel's bed, and she fell beside me. I turned, and curled into the brunette's side.

"Sleepy-time now?" She chuckled.

"You get tired really easily, huh?" I grumbled about no coffee, but didn't give a definitive response.

"Okay then, I believe midnight is a respectable time for a high schooler to go to sleep." She said, poking me in the side. I glared at her, but just curled more into a fetal position. I felt her weight leave the bed, and clawed around where she had been for that warmth again.

"I'll be right back." She said, before walking into the bathroom. I scooted up towards the headboard, before covering myself with the sheet on the bed.

A little while later, the other side of the mattress dipped, and I felt Rachel slide in beside me. Already drifting off to sleep, I reached out and grabbed her midsection, pulling her closer. Content, I sighed into the back of the girl's neck, and my mind gave into the hazy mess of dreams that holed up in my head all day. Only, tonight was different. In almost all of my dreams was the recurring face of a certain Rachel Berry.

**A/N: Wassup home skillet! Okay, I can't pull that off… Anyway, so I realized that most of what I've been writing has been from Quinn's POV, (which is weird cuz I relate to Rachel more but whatever), and I really did want this to be omniscient so I'm going to change it up a little. Also, I know a lot of people don't like a lot of songs in stories, but I do; so if you don't care for them, just skip over it. Also, I'm not sure whether or not this is AU. I'm not changing the characters much, and the setting is the same; but I take artistic liberty with the positioning of plot events in comparison with canon, and with stuff like that. So what do you guys think? Suggestions are welcomed and encouraged. I don't have the entire plot set in stone, and I definitely am not sure what to do along the way. As always, read and review please! I need feedback, it's what I live on! Peace out. :)**

**PS: The songs were Defying Gravity by Idina Menzel and covered by Lea Michele and Chris Colfer,**** and I Feel Pretty/Unpretty sung by Dianna Agron and Lea Michele**  



	12. Run, Rachel, Run

I don't own Glee, FOX and RIB do, yada yada yada…

Chapter 12:

**RPOV**

I awoke to a strange buzzing on my bedside table. I turned slowly, as to avoid waking Quinn up, and picked up my phone.

**Unknown Number: sup midget? How's Q doing?**

I stared at the screen for a few moments, trying to figure out who this could be; although I had an inkling of an idea.

**Me: Who is this?**

I laughed at the response, and changed the contact information.

**Santana: your worst nightmare**

**Me: She's fine. Hasn't woken up yet.**

**Santana: k. remind her we have Cheerios practice at 4. **

**Me: Wait, how did you even get my number?**

**Santana: come on, I'm Santana freaking Lopez. It doesn't take much to get a phone number**

**Me: Sure. Stalker.**

**Santana: what? Did you want to write it on my arm or something?**

**Me: You would like that, wouldn't you?**

**Santana: yeah whatever**

**Me: Quinn's right, we do sound alike.**

**Santana: Aw hell to the no!**

**Me: My point exactly.**

**Santana: just wake your girlfriend up already**

I froze, as those words sunk into my brain. Before I could freak out, however, my phone buzzed again.

**Santana: hey berry? Don't freak out like I know you are right now. I say stuff like that. Don't take it personally**

**Me: Ok.**

**Santana: see ya**

I tossed my phone aside, and turned back to the sleeping blonde.

"Quinn?"

She grumbled a little, but just nuzzled further into the crook of my neck.

"_Señorita? Despiertate _(wake up)_." _

"Go away Santana."

"FABRAY!" She shot up out of the bed, with a crazed look in her eyes.

"Yes, Coach?" I laughed, and put both hands on her shoulders to calm her down.

"I'm not Sylvester, and I'm not Santana." I smirked. "You wouldn't get up."

There was a muffled "ermph" that came from Quinn as she fell back against the pillow.

"Nuh uh, you aren't going back to sleep. It is already… 10, and you need to get up." The girl remained silent, but turned her head to look at me. There was sadness in her hazel eyes, and they filled with unshed tears.

"What happened? If you really don't want to get up you don't have to…" She shook her head.

"My mom is getting out of church right now. I haven't missed going to church with her since I moved back in." I muttered a small "oh" before reaching over and trying to cradle her head, which was the only part of her I could reach. She shrugged me off and sat up, getting off the bed.

"No, it's fine. It's been worse before. I'll be right back." She turned and walked into the bathroom, and I was left to ruminate with my thoughts. What was Quinn's home life like? Most people already knew a little bit, but what was it really like? I know I wouldn't have made it as far as I have in life without the support of my dads. I can't imagine what it must be like to have a household filled with such lies and cruelty, while having to keep a façade of perfection. Huh.

I walked over to the bathroom door and knocked. A small sob came from inside, and I slowly turned the door handle. Quinn was standing in front of the sink, leaning against the counter with red, tear filled eyes, and tracks down her cheeks. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, laying my cheek against her back.

"You don't always have to be strong, you know." Her body racked with another sob, but she nodded. I rubbed my fingers currently placed on the cheerleader's waist in small circles, trying to calm her down.

"You're one of the few people I know that can still look attractive when you cry." I smiled into her back, and Quinn smiled with me. This smile seemed to mark the end of the torrential tears. She stood back and wiped her eyes, and leaned forward to splash her face with cold water. I stepped back and leaned against the door frame.

"Santana said you have Cheerios practice today." She nodded, but stopped, looking confused.

"Since when do you talk to _Santana_?"

"Well, this absolutely lovely individual happened to introduce us yesterday." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I reverted to my normal tone. "She somehow got my phone number and texted me this morning."

"Oh. Is she teaching you Spanish?" I gave her an incredulous look. Really, how does this girl's brain work? What does Spanish have anything to do with anything? Oh, wait, I remember.

I laughed. "No, I'm actually pretty fluent in Spanish. My uncle is from Ecuador."

"Okay." She turned and dried her face, then breezed past me back into the room to get her Cheerios uniform. I stood in the doorway, unsure as to how to say what I wanted to.

"Do you really have to wear your uniform?"

She turned towards me with a curious look.

"It's cheerleading practice. I need my cheerleading uniform."

"Yeah, but it's not until 4. And, frankly, you're kind of intimidating with the red, white, and black armor on." Hot, yes, but intimidating nonetheless.

Wait a second, that last part, I didn't actually –

An enormous smirk spread across her face.

- Shit I did say that out loud. However, she was gracious enough to not dwell on it too much.

"Indeed, many times have we blessed the perv that made these." With a twirl, the head cheerleader flared the pleats of the skirt, and a multitude of flashbacks whirled through my mind. I flinched instinctively, waiting for the wall of ice to hit my face.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

"What are you doing? You look constipated." I cracked an eye open to see the same head cheerleader from a moment ago giving me a 'What the hell?' face.

"I-you-that-but-slushy!" I forced out. She raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow and stared at me.

"Such eloquence."

"Come on! You know what I mean! It's… scary." I lowered my eyes, but my attention was drawn to a flurry of motion. Quinn reappeared in front of me, this time holding a bath towel. She held in front of her body so that all I could see was her head.

"Who do you see?"

"Um. You?" She took away the towel, and I flinched again upon seeing the notorious WMHS in red.

"Now who do you see?"

"Quinn Fabray." I responded automatically. She strode by to stand right behind me, and turned us to face the mirror. She rested her chin on my shoulder, and wrapped her arms around my waist; mimicking my position from earlier.

"Look. I'm the same person." She whispered. I wanted to believe that. I wanted to feel like it didn't make a difference. Surely it would be better if _the_ Quinn Fabray was on my side, and not just the Quinn I had gotten to know the past few days. I shook my head and stepped away, turning to face the girl in question.

"I'm sorry, but it's not the same. You… you become a different person. You become someone I don't know. Not that I really knew you before, anyway." Seeing her, standing there the same way she had for the past 3 years, everything came crashing down around me. It had all been an illusion, hadn't it? It had all been a dream, where I thought that the infamous head cheerleader actually cared about me, or appreciated my help. She had just used me for a place to stay. Nothing that had happened was real. This was it. It was all over. And I would be worse off than I was on Friday. I slowly backed away from her, as my walls came back up, and I froze myself off. I refused to care.

"Rachel? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?" I should have heard the sincerity. I should have seen the affection in her eyes. But I didn't. All I saw was what flashed in front of my mind's eye. All the times she spat some insult in my face, every time she slushied me, or laughed when someone else did. I saw the cold, apathetic eyes that would cut down all opposition; I would not see the warm, hazel ones that stood in front of me now. I said I let it all go. I hadn't.

Suddenly I sped out of the room, needing to get out of that room, that house; I needed to get away from those eyes, that gaze that bore holes in my back as I ran.

**QPOV**

Soon after Rachel ran out of the room, I tried to follow, only to be stopped by two strong arms around my shoulders.

"Let her go." Leroy said softly. "She needs time. For now, come with me."

We walked through the hallways on the first floor of the Berry house, into a secluded office-looking room. The walls were a lime green, and the border was black, giving it a significantly masculine, but also gentle vibe. In the corner were two large plush leather chairs, and a computer was set up on a desk on the opposite wall. The thing that attracted my attention the most, however, were the many photographs and pieces of art lining the walls. Most of the paintings were abstract, but the photographs were all of various scenes in both urban and rural surroundings. They were beautifully taken, and captured every element of the situation perfectly.

"I didn't know you liked photography this much. Who took these?" I inquired, momentarily distracted from my situation. The man turned red and looked at the ground, scuffing his heel on the hardwood floor. I gaped.

"D- did you take these pictures?" I asked in disbelief, gesturing at the walls. He nodded, still looking at the floor.

"They're amazing! Breathtaking! Superb! I've never been able to get mine quite like th-" I stopped, realizing I might have said a bit too much. He immediately looked up at me with a glint of curiosity in his eye that reminded me quite a bit of Rachel.

"You have interest in photography?"

"Maybe a little." I mumbled back.

"You simply _have_ to show me some sometime. Anywho, I think we need to have a little chat about that dear daughter of mine. Have a seat." I sat down in one of the leather chairs, feeling very much like I was either talking to the principal, or talking to a therapist. Leroy took the other chair, and began speaking.

"Are you under the impression that I do not know who you are?" He asked. I was slightly unsure as to how to respond.

"Well, Rachel did introduce us I suppose."

"No, I mean who you _are_, not what your name is." He took a deep breath. "I know you are a large part of the reason my baby girl would fake sick to get out of going to school. I know you are also why she had about no friends whatsoever. I know how you made her high school life miserable, and how every one of your insults has stuck with her to this day. I know pretty much everything that you have done to her since you two started high school." At the shocked and ashamed look on my face, he laughed emptily. "Don't look so surprised. When Rachel had absolutely no one else, I made sure she had me. You think I wouldn't know what made her think her life was a living hell? However, I don't resent you for it. I won't hold you to your crimes, and I won't keep this hanging over your head any longer than necessary." He seemed to have stopped for the moment, so I asked my question.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't you hate me? Why aren't you crucifying me at the moment?" This seemed to make him chuckle genuinely.

"Because a very similar thing happened to me in the past. No, this is not a story of how I ended up marrying the boy I bullied incessantly during high school; it seems like that sort of thing would be too cliché anyway. However, I did learn a valuable lesson." Leroy settled more into the chair, and began his story.

"I was seventeen, and had just started my senior year of high school. I was captain of the rugby team, and was one of the most sought after jocks in the school. I was having a lot of internal gay panic, as guys suddenly took the place in my thoughts where girls were supposed to. As I would learn later, I had a crush on one of the guys in my class; but the way that I saw it then, he was just getting on my nerves. The other jocks and I would shove him in lockers, put manure in his locker, and just really wreak havoc for him. You know, he wasn't actually a nerd. He was on the soccer team, and was pretty hot. His name was Ronaldo, and he was from Ecuador. To describe his appearance; imagine that Mike Chang kid, but Latino." This image worked its way around my brain for a bit, confusing me.

"Anyway, we were absolutely horrid to this boy. It wasn't really that bad for the first half of the year. We basically just did little things each day that ended up being pretty much harassment. But around the end of January, we decided to step up our game. Well, I should say that I decided that part. I had started blaming him for plaguing my thoughts so much, and took out this frustration in anger." The man shuddered, before continuing.

"The second day after getting back from winter break, it started snowing frequently. One night, it had rained overnight, and the snow was covered in ice. Ronaldo walked onto the parking lot before school the next day, and was hit with a barrage of ice-covered snowballs. Have you ever been hit with one of those?" I shook my head no, and he winced.

"Excuse my language, but it hurts like a mothe- actually I'm not going to finish that thought. You get my point. After a minute or two of this, he had to seek refuge in a barrel turned sideways. I admit, it was a good way to hide, but the outcome was terrible. The barrel was on some slick ice, and it tumbled down a hill until it hit a rock jutting out of the snow. We all expected the kid to get out of the barrel and run away, but he didn't move. At all. This spooked my 'friends', and they all ran off. I didn't. I was frozen in place out of fear. After a few seconds, my feet moved against their will over to the rock, and I peered inside the upturned barrel. I saw the boy broken and bloody lying inside, and I panicked. I quickly pulled out my phone and called 911, and an ambulance showed up after a few minutes. Ronaldo was rushed to the hospital, and it turned out that I was the only one that ended up waiting for the doctor's verdict. He was staying with his grandmother in town, and she was unable to get to the hospital. In the moment that the doctor came out of the emergency room, preparing to tell me the condition, I finally realized what I was feeling. It was not panic for what was going to happen to me if the kid died, it was panic, plain and simple. It was panic that showed that I actually cared about him, and that I really didn't know what I would do if he died. Fortunately, he didn't die. He had a cracked skull, several broken ribs, and one of his legs and one of his arms were broken; but he was alive and stable. He should be able to recover fully within a few months. Such relief washed over me that it frightened me. When I walked into the room to see Ronaldo, he had a look of immense fear in his eyes, and it shamed me more than anything has in my 47 years of living. It took many years, but eventually he forgave me. He also ended up marrying my sister." Leroy ended with a smirk. Something clicked in my head.

"You mean, Rachel's uncle is-" He nodded and reached over to the desk upon which the computer was situated and picked up a photograph of two men. One was Leroy, and the other was a Hispanic man that did indeed look quite a bit like Mike Chang.

"We are great friends now. Such great friends, actually, that Hiram sometimes gets a bit territorial around him." The Berry man said with a wink.

"There is a moral to this story, though." He leaned forward, and made sure my gaze was trained upon him.

"Even after 30 years, Ronaldo will flinch if I make sudden movements around him. He never has, and probably never will, fully get over what I did to him. I know it hurts that Rachel ran, but keep in mind everything you did to her. I would say that she is taking this pretty well, given that it's only been 3 days; versus 30 _years_." I nodded sagely, finally beginning to see things from the other girl's point of view.

"Give her time. She will get better. For now, though, I suggest you stay in the guest room. She never goes in there anyway, so it won't be an issue of confrontation. Tomorrow I'll drop you off at school on my way to work. Is that all right?" I nodded, not saying anything. He smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a piece of turkey jerky and gave it to me. I gave him a questioning look.

"But I thought you were-"

"Rachel and Hiram are the vegans." He explained. "I just mostly eat vegan because I love the two of 'em so much." I shrugged and tore open the wrapper, just realizing how hungry I was.

"It's probably a good idea to spend the rest of today with a friend or something. We don't want to cause any problems when my little girl comes home. Come back around 8?" I nodded, feeling sort of numb to the whole situation.

I quickly finished and left the room. Once I gathered the necessities, I left the Berrys and walked to Brittany's house, knowing Santana would be there too. It didn't take much explaining, as they both have uncanny skills of deduction. We killed time, (mostly consisting of them reassuring me that everything would be fine), until 3:45, then left for Cheerios practice.

I threw everything into the exercise, forgetting all my problems and worries. I even got a compliment from Coach Sylvester. Well, if you count 'Q, show the others how you keep the stench of failure to minimum' as a compliment. Which, when it comes to Sue Sylvester, it is.

Afterwards, I showered at Brittany's (borrowing some fresh clothes) and headed back to Rachel's house, drinking my evening protein shake on the way. I snuck through the door and looked around for signs of life. Leroy was seated in the living room, but jumped up as soon as he saw me. He shushed me and we walked to the guest room. It looked sort of different than it did on Friday; mostly because there were bed linens and certain amenities like a couple lamps to make the room usable. I stayed in there, trying to distract myself with random apps on my phone. After the 12th high score at Angry Birds, I collapsed back and decided that the best idea right now was to sleep. But it wasn't that easy. I couldn't get my mind to stop racing over the events of the day. After what felt like, and probably was, hours of tossing and turning, I stopped trying, and resigned myself to another sleepless night; something I hadn't known for the past two nights. Several times, I would find myself reach out, but found nothing. The only thing there was the cold other side of the bed.

**RPOV**

I stumbled into my house at around 9 o'clock at night, utterly exhausted. I didn't even remember half of the places I went to during the day. All I knew after I left Quinn standing in my room was that I ran, and ran, and ran some more. I needed to escape, but I utterly failed at escaping my thoughts and feelings. My resolve then was focused on running until I was no longer capable of thinking anything. I would say I succeeded well enough. I stood swaying on the doormat of my house, and my Daddy magically appeared to catch me when I fell.

"Quinn?" I rasped out.

"Safe." He replied, carrying me to my room. I nodded sleepily and passed out in his arms.

Halfway through the night, I awoke with a start. I reached out, looking for that warm body I had gotten used to. My body physically slumped when I found nothing. The only thing there was the cold other side of the bed.

**A/N: Wassup peepl! So this chapter may suck, it may rock, I honestly don't know. I realized the last few may not have been up to par but that was because I was writing because I should, not because I wanted to. Now I am because I want to. I'm forgoing homework for it, so feel special. :) Umm yeah that's it! Read and Review please! I really really really really realllllllyyyyyy need feedback and I absolutely love everybody that already gave some. And to everybody else… I glare at you. Jk jk, I don't glare at many people. Only when I'm mad. Okay, rambling too much. K bye! Peace out :)**


	13. Slushy

I don't own Glee, etc. etc.

Chapter _14_(jk jk, I actually like the number 13)

Chapter 13

**QPOV**

I stood at Rachel's locker, waiting for the brunette to appear in all of her argyle and animal sweater glory. Recounting the events of this morning in my head, I congratulated myself on successfully avoiding contact with her. I had gotten up earlier than the singer did, and had snuck out to have Leroy drive me to school earlier than usual, so that there would be no chance meetings and conflicts between the other girl and me. Now here I stood, waiting to make things right with the two of us. However, when the object of these troubled thoughts appeared, I did not expect her reaction to be like this. She looked at me with fear for a moment, and then wiped away all signs of emotion from her face. I knew what that meant. I do it all the time. Wow, I seriously fucked up this time.

"Hey Rachel. What's up?"

"Hello Quinn. I don't see how it's any of your business." Whoa, reel back the venom there. I don't even know what I did to get this treatment!

"Did you forget everything that happened?" I asked, honestly wondering if perhaps I had dreamt it or she had suddenly gotten amnesia. Sure, I knew she was hurting, but I wasn't sure what I did to be getting this malice.

She laughed, but with no mirth whatsoever.

"No, I did not _forget_. Indeed, I would probably be treating you far more kindly if I had _forgotten_." She slammed her locker shut and whirled away, walking towards class. I would be having none of that, and grabbed her wrist, making her stay put.

"Look, I know that you freaked out because I look like I did before, but you have to accept that I haven't done anything to act like I was before!" She glared at me, before retorting.

"And why do I need to accept that? Who knows, this may just be some elaborate scheme to embarrass me in front of the whole school. After everything you've done to me? I wouldn't put it past you." With this, she pulled away and walked down the hall again.

I stood, gaping at her back, before seeing a few blobs of red moving towards her. Watching their stance, I realized what was about to happen. I broke into a run down the hall, and right when the white and red cups were pulled back, and Rachel flinched, covering her face, I got to them.

"Don't you _dare_." I said, an animalistic snarl finding its way into my voice. The two hockey players in the back paused and gave me a doubtful look, but Rick "The Stick" Nelson just smirked at me, before tossing the slushie anyway. I reacted instantly, and pushed Rachel out of the way; getting covered in the purple frozen liquid myself. Wiping my eyes, and ignoring the sting of the corn syrup, I smiled sweetly at him. At least now the mullet-haired man-child had the brains to look horrified. Dropping the false smile off my face, I walked forward, somehow looking down my nose at the taller boy.

"Now, listen up. First of all, you better run fast after this, because Coach Sylvester will have a fit about you slushying a Cheerio, _especially_ her Head Cheerio. Second of all, you better run even faster, because I am giving you exactly three seconds before I unleash Finn, Puck, Santana, and Brittany on you, _all at the same time._ And third of all," I lowered my voice to a deadly threatening tone. "And this may be the most important thing yet: you _will not_ slushy Rachel Berry ever again in your sorry excuse of a life. Got it, dumbass?" He nodded rapidly, the look of fear on his face only growing more intense with every word I said. I stepped back, before looking down at my watch.

"Three… two… one." I whistled loudly, causing many of the bystanders' heads to turn, but I looked through the crowd for that Mohawk covered head and the 6-foot-something Pillsbury doughboy one to turn, their clueless looks gone. Once I saw them, I looked around for the Latina and dancer to be looking my way also, but found them already standing beside me. The four took one look at my grape covered self, and the other at the boy standing stock still, frozen in fright in front of me, and an identical sneer passed among their faces. With one synchronized step forward from them, the hockey player broke out of his terrified reverie and sprinted down the hall, trying to get as far away from us as possible. I looked for the other two hockey players, but they were already running after him. I nodded at my friends, silently thanking them. They all acknowledged it and returned to whatever they were doing.

I didn't even glance at Rachel, and instead turned to go upstairs to the second floor bathroom. It was usually deserted except for a few geeks and nerds, whom I could kick out in a second. I pushed open the door to find it empty, and immediately began getting the now-melted purple slush off my face. Ugh, I can't believe how people live with this every day. It's absolutely terrible. Imagine it being in the dead of winter, and there is melted snow on the side of the road, and a car comes and its tires splash through this slush, sending a wall of ice into your face. Except now add your eyes burning from corn syrup that drips into them from said wall of ice. It sucks. Like, majorly sucks. I grumbled and continued cleaning up my face and neck, unable to get the stain of purple out of the front of my Cheerios uniform and out of my hair. Sighing, I leant back against the cold porcelain of the sink, and closed my eyes, trying to escape the world. The sound of the door squeaking open reached my ears, and I opened my eyes, ready to stare down a freshman with the audacity to disturb me. However, I found myself staring into the chocolate-brown eyes I had grown used to over the past couple days. I visibly relaxed, as gentle hands leant me back so that my head was in the sink, and water was being run through my scalp to get the food dye out of my hair.

"You didn't have to do that." She finally whispered.

"Yes I did. I said things would change, and they will. I wasn't faking it." She nodded and pursed her lips, seemingly trying to formulate a response.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Freaking out like I did. I didn't believe that this could all really be happening. You've always been this larger-than-life figure in my head, and you were basically everything I wanted to be. Popular, pretty, head cheerleader, liked by everyone, and you had the quarterback of the football team as your boyfriend." I laughed at how many of these things weren't true.

"Popularity is a fickle beast. I lost it in an instant, and it took me months to regain it. Pretty – well I am now. But what you see now is after a nose job, a crazy diet, a bunch of hair dye, and skin treatment. Going along with that, head cheerleader isn't all it's cracked up to be, unless you enjoy being worked nearly to death." I sat up to say the next part to her face. "I am not liked by everyone; I'm feared by everyone. Nobody likes me except for the few true friends that I do have." I relented and let her push my head back down to the sink, and those lovely fingers began combing through my hair again. "And, in case you haven't noticed, I don't have the quarterback of the football team as my boyfriend. You do. So your argument is null and void." I elbowed the singer gently in the ribs, causing a giggle to fall from her lips. This caused the corners of my mouth to turn up in a genuine smile.

"Still. My constant goal so far has been to be your friend, and the opposite has always seemed to be the case. I don't know how long it took, but eventually realized I was just an annoying Jewish girl with a big nose and an even bigger dream. I realized I would never be friends with the likes of you, and so this all just seemed too surreal." I fake-pouted and looked up.

"But I like your nose…" We both started laughing, as that just seemed like such a ridiculous thing to say at the moment. Rachel nudged me to sit up, and I did, frowning down at the front of my stained Cheerios top. The brunette followed my line of sight, and frowned as well.

"Do you have a tank top on underneath the uniform?" She suddenly asked. Confused, I nodded. She reached over suddenly and started pulling the sodden material up and over my head. After I realized what she was doing, I helped, and we got the white, red, and black polyester off my torso, leaving me in a white tank. The girl turned back to the sink, and pulled out a Tide-to-go stick from a pocket, putting some of the spot remover on the uniform.

"Will that work?" I asked, unsure as to the stain remover's capabilities.

"It usually does. I started just carrying it around everywhere after freshman year was 3 months in. It saves the hassle of going to my locker." Guilt washed over me again, as I remembered that I was probably the cause of that. After a few minutes, Rachel held up the Cheerios uniform, satisfied with her work. Sure enough, the only part still stained purple was the neckline, where the brunt of the slushy had hit.

"Pop this in the washer when you get home and it should be good as new. Now, what is your locker combination?" She asked.

"32-45-69" I replied without really thinking about it. "Wait why do you want to know? You aren't putting a bomb in there, are you?" I smirked. Throwing me a sour look, she replied.

"No… I was guessing that you didn't want to walk around school all day without a shirt on. I'm guessing there's _something_ in your locker that you could wear?"

"Yeah, there's an extra uniform that Coach gave us in case we throw up from exhaustion during practice." To the startled and disgusted look on her face, I replied "Don't worry, it doesn't happen often. Well, it doesn't happen often to me." Still wearing the appalled look, she nodded curtly and walked out the door. I stood there waiting for not much more than 5 minutes before she came back with a fresh uniform. I pulled it on, and then stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Thanks." We said at the same time.

"What are you thanking me for? You're the one that helped clean me up." She looked down at the ground, looking embarrassed.

"It's the least I could do. You took a slushy for me. Hang on; can I try something for a second? Just keep still." She walked forward, and then reached out a hand, fingers gently probing my face. My eyebrow arched, as I wondered what this was all about. Her fingertips seemed to be memorizing the layout of my face. It was sort of soothing. But also kind of disconcerting. Huh. After a minute or two of doing that, she pulled back, seemingly content with something.

"Erm. What was that all about?" I asked. The girl grinned.

"I wanted to make sure you were real and not some sort of holographic projection in my mind."

"Girl, I took a slushy for you; I better not be a figment of your imagination." I replied with a smile. It was great to be back on good terms again. Who knew all it took was some frozen corn syrup and food coloring? The bell rang, and we both nearly jumped out of our skin. Rachel started panicking and pacing about in a flurry.

"What?"

"I missed first period! My perfect attendance record is destroyed! What am I going to do?!" She turned and grabbed me by the front of my newly donned uniform and shook me a little, looking wild and panicky. Ignoring the heat that raced through my body at the touch, I gently pushed her back, holding her by the shoulders.

"Chill. Out. It won't be that bad. We'll go to the nurse and get her to write you a note that you didn't feel well." She looked confused.

"But I feel fine. Why would she lie?" I smirked. I had caught the nurse making out with the janitor last Thursday after Cheerios practice, and had enough blackmail material to basically make her do anything Ever since Terry Schuester I have always tried to find ways to control the nurse. Here, if you have a note from the nurse you can literally get away with anything under the sun.

"I have my ways." I said in a mysterious voice. It was now Rachel's turn to raise an eyebrow at me.

"You're very strange, you know that?" I nodded rapidly, doing a little dance trying to prove my strangeness. I act very calm and collected in the halls of WMHS, but with my friends I really am just a goofball. The brunette rolled her eyes and turned towards the door, but it opened before she could get there. This time it really was a freshman, and my automatic instinct was to glare until she went away. However, as the youngster started backing away, I got a pointed look from the singer standing beside me.

"Wait." I called out to the almost closed door. The closing paused, and the girl stuck her head in again, with a wary look in her eye.

"You can stay. We were just leaving. The other bathroom sucks anyway; I won't make you go there." The door inched open, and she rushed past the two of us, finding the safety of the other wall. After exiting, I rounded on a smug-looking Rachel.

"You're making me a softy." I said with a glare lacking any energy.

"I know!" She said in a sing-song voice, skipping ahead towards the nurse's office. Grumbling, I jogged after her.

What was happening to me?

**A/N: Heyyyyyyy there readers! So this chapter was basically just how this whole friendship thing was going to work at school. I was eager for this part, but I don't know how it turned out. Feedback pretty please? I needz it to livvveee. Okay I'm just a weee bit hopped up on caffeine. Read and Review please! The plot isn't really set in stone so something that you say very well may influence the story. So tell me what y'all think. Peace Out and Happy First Day of Fall! :)**


	14. Not Just Another Day at WMHS

I'm not cool enough to own Glee… :(

Chapter 14 (for reals this time)

**RPOV**

Oh. My. Grilled Cheesus. How have I never realized how absolutely and utterly _boring_ and _time consuming_ school is? It seems like however much I wish time to go faster, the clock on the wall goes that much slower. I mean, really, the things we are supposedly learning are useless! After a while all the math problems start to sound like this: If you have 5 apples and 12 tractors, what is the president of Russia's name? The answer is no, because aliens don't like purple pancakes. This is so. Freaking. Frustrating! Of course, there is the sort of answer within my question; why did I not think like this before? I suppose the circumstances changed. I didn't used to have anything to look forward to before or after class, so I didn't really want to leave. But now I am just staring at the minute hand on the clock, tapping my foot incessantly under the desk. My head may or may not be filled with thoughts of a blonde.

"Will you quit it? That's getting kind of irritating." I glared at Finn, and kept tapping my foot.

"Seriously, what's gotten into you lately? Have I done something wrong? We never spend any time together any more, and you always seem like you're angry at me." My glare softened a bit. It really wasn't his fault that I'm not in love with him.

"No, Finn, it's fine. I've just been really stressed out lately, what with Nationals coming up and all." He didn't seem to be satiated with that answer, though.

"And you keep talking different. What's up with that?"

My glare returned full force and I turned around, staring at the clock again. Only five more minutes until lunch… I'm actually not sure what I'm looking forward to; but it seems like, based on this morning, I might actually have a friend that doesn't avoid me around people. But then again, who knows. I very well could have just made everything up in my head… I was overwhelmed with a depressed feeling, although there was that bright speck of hope in the back of my mind that prevailed. After what seemed like hours, the bell finally rang. I had lost my energy, though, and ended up trudging out the door towards the auditorium. As I walked down the hall, I felt the presence of two people coming up behind me, and suddenly my arms were linked with theirs, and I was being steered towards the cafeteria. I looked on either side to find Santana and Brittany, and I was reminiscent of the day Santana and Quinn told me to hire Dakota Stanley. Except neither of them was talking this time.

"Where are we going?" I finally asked.

"The cafeteria. Ever been there?" Santana snarked.

"A few times." I mumbled. "Wait, why are we going there?" Santana raised an eyebrow at me.

"To eat? I suppose you do that? You aren't bulimic are you?" She stopped walking and adopted a protective stance. "Don't you dare be bulimic, Berry! That is seriously not okay! I will go_ all_ Lima Heights on your ass if you are making yourself puke after you eat! Or if you don't eat! Either one!"

"Aww, you're adorable when you care... Yes I eat, and no, I am not bulimic. I just don't normally eat in the cafeteria." Her fierce expression changed to one of confusion.

"Why?" I shrugged.

"I would rather be somewhere in which I am meant to be in solitude than a place in which I am alone because nobody wants to be around me." Her expression changed once more to pain. Santana remained silent, but grabbed my arm and continued walking. Brittany chose this time to pipe up.

"Well, that's not gonna happen anymore. You're either gonna be in the cafeteria with us, or we'll be in the auditorium with you. No more loneliness. Got it?" She leaned over in a conspiratorial whisper. "Loneliness kills ducks in China." I threw the Latina on my other side a questioning look, but she waved her hand to ignore the blonde's randomness.

We pushed open the doors to the cafeteria, and I felt like a thousand eyes were on us at one time. They probably were, too. This isn't one of those places in which someone changes and nobody really cares, and it's all in the person's head. Here, someone changes and everybody knows and is whispering about it behind their back. Exhibit A: right now. The two second-in-command Cheerios are taking one of the biggest losers in school, second only to Jewfro, towards one of the cheerleaders' tables. Indeed, this was a sight to see. We walked over to where Quinn was sitting, and the two on either side of me only let me go to plop me down beside her.

"Hey there stranger." I'm pretty sure I looked like a deer in headlights, and a garbled mess of sounds fell from my mouth. The girl smirked at me.

"Lord Tubbington got your tongue?" This got a chuckle out of me, and I relaxed significantly. I stuck my tongue out, pretending to inspect it for discrepancies.

"No, I'm pretty sure I still have it." I said, earning a smile from the three sitting around me. They all took a swig out of identical protein shake containers, and made equally disgusted faces.

"Why do you guys drink that stuff?" Santana grimaced and replied.

"Coach makes us drink it when we are on school grounds. Any Cheerio seen consuming anything other than 'The Sue Sylvester Master Cleanse' is kicked off the team. It's supposed to help us stay skinny."

"Yeah, the only thing I miss about being pregnant is being able to eat real food." Quinn added. I nodded sympathetically.

"I'll make you some bacon later." All three grinned at the mention of bacon, and once again the surreal nature of my situation hit me. Pushing it away, I smiled with them. The rest of lunch passed in this manner, and by the end I actually felt like I had – dare I say it – _friends._

The bell rang signaling the start of fourth period in 5 minutes, and we split up, Brittany and Santana walking towards the stairs, pinkies interlocked. I expected to walk to English alone, but Quinn came up behind me and gently slung an arm around my shoulders.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Walking you to class." I opened my mouth to ask why, but she held up a hand. "A; to make sure you don't get slushied or anything, and B; because I want to."

"Won't it be out of your way, though?" She gave me an incredulous look.

"Have you seriously not noticed all year that we have the same English class?" She laughed gleefully (no pun intended). "I finally found something that _the_ Rachel Berry did not know!"

"Don't get used to it." I growled sullenly.

When we walked into the classroom I automatically headed for the back, with the blonde in tow. Throughout class I kept glancing over at the girl beside me, not sure what to make of her. I expected Quinn to take advantage of the free pass the Cheerios get when it came to grades, but she actually seemed to work for the straight A grades. It seemed like she was genuinely really smart. Huh. Interesting. Come to think of it, basically everything about Quinn has surprised me since I got to know her better. My thoughts trailed off for the billionth time that day.

"Whatcha thinking about?" A whisper in my ear broke me from my reverie.

"You." I replied automatically, before realizing what I had said. "I meant, how much I didn't expect you to be… well, like you are."

"Such as?"

"For one thing, you actually pay attention and work in class. That I did not expect at all. Don't the Cheerios get to pass any class whether or not they actually get good grades in it?" She nodded.

"We technically don't have to do well to pass, but a lot of us are actually pretty intelligent. I know Santana has an IQ of 140 or something, and even Britt is smart when it comes to some things too. Like Spanish. And German. And human anatomy. As for me; well, I don't know if I'm really smart or not, but I enjoy learning. Although what we do in most classes can barely be considered learning." She scoffed and copied down what was on the whiteboard.

"What else?" She asked.

"Huh?" I said, oh-so-eloquently.

"What else surprises you about me?"

"Hmm…" I reached over and absentmindedly started playing with the back of her ponytail. I would have sworn I felt her shiver. "You aren't as uptight as I thought you would be."

She nodded, still writing. "I'm only uptight around people I'm uncomfortable with." Quinn leant back a little, pushing the chair onto its two hind legs. I tried to move my hand back to my side, but she grabbed it and interlocked our fingers, letting our hands hang between the two seats.

"Okay, read and annotate pages 133 through 157 tonight for homework. You are free to go." The teacher said from the front of the class room as the bell rang. We shut our notebooks and stood up, walking out towards the choir room, joined by Brittany and Santana almost immediately. I swear, sometimes I think that the three cheerleaders have a telepathic connection. This led to a train of thought about them, and I suddenly remembered something.

"Quinn, how did you get the four most intimidating people in school to come at your beck and call this morning?" She laughed and shook her head.

"I wouldn't say beck and call, but being HBIC has its perks. S and B would come anyway, given that we are almost _always_ near each other. As for Puck, even though he and I aren't as close as we used to be, we are still friends and he feels very protective when it comes to _moi_. And last and sort of least, Finn." She grinned at my slightly disgruntled look. "We agreed a month or two ago that, although we have a pretty rocky history, being friends is probably the best course of action for us. So don't worry, I'm not going to steal your boyfriend, and I'm not going to ridicule him either." I nodded and entered the choir room.

I headed to the back risers, and I sat with Quinn on one side and Brittany on the other, with Santana on the other side of her. The rest of the Glee Club filed in, throwing the three Cheerios and me curious looks.

Mr. Schue burst into the room dramatically and shouted at us.

"Who has prepared for their duet coming up this week?" Finn and I raised our hands, as did Kurt, Mercedes, Santana, Brittany, Artie, Sam, and Quinn.

"Okay, do you all remember when our set list was stolen before Sectionals last year?" He asked us all. Mercedes raised her hand.

"Mr. Schue, everyone remembers that. It was one of the freakiest things that's ever happened to us." Several people nodded in agreement.

"Well, pretend your set list was just completely obliterated. You will still be performing Thursday and Friday, but it cannot be a duet. You may use as many people in the club to help you, or none. Also, try to get the performance to mean something; to you or to someone else. The winner or winners of this challenge will receive the same prize as the duet competition: coupons to Breadstix. Any questions?" My hand, Kurt's hand, and Tina's hand shot up.

"Erm… Kurt?"

"Why do we have to do this?" The diva boy asked for all of us. Indeed, he looked completely appalled about not being able to do his faux-duet.

"It's practice, so that you will be able to think on your feet. Who knows, maybe something like this will happen at Nationals this year. What would we do then? Come on guys! This is a learning experience!"

"Learning experience my ass." Santana muttered not-so-quietly and stood up. "Still, this could turn out okay. Is that it?" She asked, walking towards the door in a manner showing she didn't really care if there was more.

"I suppose it is. Bye, see you all on Thursday!" Mr. Schue called after the mass of exiting bodies.

We all pushed open the front doors and flowed out into the parking lot. Quinn seemed to be looking around for someone, and then spotted the Latina on the other side of a line of 4 cars. She sprinted forward, and I ran to follow her. I was about to ask why we were running, but the blonde held a finger against her lips. When we were within about 10 feet of the other cheerleader, Quinn slowed down, and started tiptoeing up behind her. Quinn reached out slowly in an effort to surprise tickle the girl in front of her.

"Don't even try it." Santana said, suddenly halting in her tracks and turning around. The blonde pouted, and the two started bickering. I was startled by a voice by my ear.

"Hi Rach." I turned to see Brittany standing behind me, watching the two friends over my shoulder.

"Hey Brittany. Do they do this often?" I motioned towards the arguing cheerleaders.

"Every time they see each other. Now watch." I did indeed watch, and suddenly Quinn rushed forward and grabbed Santana by the waist, holding her and running towards my car.

"Don't mess up my car!" I shouted after them once my fit of giggles died down. Brittany and I strolled after our friends, with smiles on our faces.

"She's happy."

"Pardon?" I asked.

"Quinn. She's happy. It's been a while since I've seen her like this, and it's a nice change."

"Did it have to do with…" I trailed off, unsure as to how to ask the question with tact.

"Her family? Yeah. Even after her dad left, she has been given hell by her mom. I can imagine. Judy Fabray is not someone I would want to see drunk." I nodded. I was going to have to talk to Quinn later.

"Well, come on. Let's go get our girls." I blushed at the implication that Quinn was my girl. Brittany gave me an oddly knowing smile, before waving at the pair taking turns grappling to pin each other against the side of my car. I was reminded of two puppies wrestling; and it was adorable.

"Hey, hey, hey; break it up!" Brittany huffed. "I can't trust you two together for very long at all."

"Why? Whatcha afraid we would do?" Santana asked, straightening up and fixing her hair. Brittany stared down the both of them, looking very much like the mother of two rowdy youngsters.

"Given your nature," She said, pointing at Santana. "And Quinn's pressed lemon status," She pointed at the blonde. "One of you would end up jumping the other's bones. Now, I wouldn't really mind, but Rachel here would probably be very uncomfortable." As all three of them looked towards me, I turned bright red; because the image in my head actually wasn't making me as uncomfortable as I had thought.

"Change of subject please?" I pleaded weakly. They all laughed.

"Well, I do believe it's time to go. See you guys tomorrow." Quinn said, walking around to the passenger door. The other two waved goodbye and walked off towards a bright pink motorcycle. I pointed at it and gave Quinn a questioning look.

"Brittany's."

"Ah." We both got in and I turned the car on, the engine roaring to life in a most satisfying way.

"Your place or mine?" I asked in jest. Crap. Wrong thing to say. Very very very _wrong thing to say_. The smile disappeared off the other girl's face, and her head sank forward, as sadness entered her eyes. Why do I have to go and bring up her house? Mental facepalm. Why do I keep doing things like this?

"Sorry, that was meant to be a joke. I suck at, uh, that… talking thing. You know? The words; they just come out. And then they don't go back in. Like toothpaste." Okay, well, the 'you're insane' look is better than the 'I'm depressed' look. I put the car in gear, and pulled out onto the road.

"I'm weird. Get used to it." I said as Quinn continued to stare at me. "Oh, hey, I still owe you that bacon don't I?" She nodded rapidly, a twinkle appearing in her eye at the mention of bacon. I turned into a parking lot after a few minutes, and told Quinn to wait in the car. I ran out of the car and into a restaurant, returning a few minutes later with a Styrofoam to go box. I climbed back in the driver's seat and plopped the box in the cheerleader's lap. She sat, staring at it, before realizing that there must be something inside.

"You better eat that before we get to my house. My dad doesn't like having meat around." Quinn nodded and opened the container to find a pile of bacon, and immediately dug in. I smiled at how adorable she was, even with bacon grease on her chin. When Finn ate meat it just disgusted me; but I suppose with certain people I don't really care… Roar. Finn, get out of my head.

I pulled into my driveway after a little while, and immediately took the empty Styrofoam and tossed it in the trash can by our mailbox. I pushed the front door open and tossed my keys on the table by the entryway. Not even looking back, I ran upstairs and collapsed face down on my bed. The bedroom door closed after Quinn came in behind me. My hand reached backwards to grab her arm and tug.

"Come join me." I said, my voice muffled by the blanket. She laughed and lay down next to me.

"Tired much?" She asked.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." I quipped, still face down.

"Are you this tired every day?" I turned my head to look at the girl beside me.

"Do you seriously think _me_, with my incessant energy, is exhausted after only 7 hours at school? No. It's just that today was kind of… different."

"Kind of? I should hope it was a little more than 'kind of' different." I poked her in the ribs as a response.

"Violence is never the answer!" She protested.

"Whatever." I rolled up so that my feet touched the floor and I was leaning against the foot of the bed. "I'm going to go get an apple. Maybe the sugar will help." She nodded and flopped back, pulling out her phone.

I walked to the door, pausing to look at the scene in front of me. Never in a million years would I have imagined that Quinn Fabray would be in my house. And voluntarily too. This day was so weird. Maybe weird can become the norm.

**A/N: Sooo wasssuppppp. I have a couple different things to say:**

**1. The story is set somewhere between 'Born This Way' and 'Rumours', but pretend that 'Duets' got moved to this point in the story. Sam is in the Glee Club just because he wanted to stay, not because he won the duet competition. Quinn and Sam's 'relationship' is at the stage that it was right before they actually performed the duet. Therefore, none of the drama with Sam and Finn and Quinn happened. The entire Brittany/Santana part of the plot happened like a month before this, so Santana was only mildly threatened with Brittany and Artie doing a duet together. Brittana is out and proud right now, and Bartie never happens. Also, future reference, I believe that Quinn and Kurt are kind of friends, even though the show says that they don't really talk. But I went through the episodes from Season 1 through Season 3 and they always seem to be on friendly terms. I think that's it for setting…**

**2. I am absolutely open and welcoming to constructive criticism! I actually need it if I should address issues with anything pertaining to the writing of the stories. So please, if you have the time, pleaseee review. Even if it is to tell me something that sucks; I will take into account that opinion and try to make it better. **

**3. Question: Would this be classified as AU? I wasn't quite sure. It just seems to be straying pretty far from canon, so I was trying to figure out what it would be considered.**

**Okay that's it. R&R please! Peace out. :)**


	15. Easy as Sine, Cosine, and Tangent

I'm not Ryan Murphy, I don't own Glee.

Chapter 15

**QPOV**

The rest of that evening passed rather uneventfully. Talking, homework, talking some more, food, talking again. Eventually I acknowledged the multiple yawns both of us had tried to smother.

"I guess we should be going to sleep soon, shouldn't we?" Rachel gave me a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess so." After a few minutes of awkward silence I stood up and walked to the door connecting the singer's bedroom and the hallway.

"Well, uh, goodnight I guess."

"'Night." She replied.

I shut the door and walked down to the guest bedroom, feeling rather dejected. Sliding between the sheets on the somewhat-alien bed and curling up into a ball, I felt alone for the second night in a row. Just like Sunday night, I tossed and turned for a few hours, as sleep refused to take me and assuage my internal pain. Why was there pain? I should be happy. Today had turned out much better than I expected, despite last night, and Rachel wasn't mad at me anymore. So why did I hurt? I suppose it could be the loneliness. This weekend had pampered my mind into forgetting what it was like to be alone. It's interesting how you can spend your entire life feeling a certain way and then forget about it in a few days. Well, at least I do that. These thoughts permeated my brain and lodged in there, refusing to leave. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table and groaned. One in the morning. Grr.

I rolled out of the bed and walked down the hall past Rachel's room to the bathroom. Once I closed the door, I just leaned forward against the sink, staring at the mirror.

**_You know, the only reason you feel alone is because you won't let other people near you. _**

I am going craaazzyyyyy… Even if you are a voice in my head, I seriously have never been so glad to hear you.

**_I know._**

I know you know.

**_I know you know I know._**

I kno- never mind.

**_Good choice._**

So what brings you to this neck of the woods?

**_Really? Did you seriously just ask me that? I come back when you are confused. And right now you are very confused._**

I suppose.

**_Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?_**

What the hell kind of question is that?

**_It's a joke, not a question. So: why didn't the skeleton cross the road?_**

I have no idea. Please, enlighten me, O great and powerful Charlie.

**_He didn't have the guts. And neither do you._**

To what? Cross the road?

**_Literally? No. Figuratively? Yes._**

What's that supposed to mean? And why does everybody that is trying to tell me something always talk in riddles? It gets to be really ridiculous!

**_Chill the fuck out. We do that so that you figure it out on your own. You wouldn't be nearly as receptive if we just flat out told you. It's like Inception. We plant the seed of curiosity and you figure out the rest. _**

Yeah whatever.

**_Bitter much?_**

Annoying much?

**_It's just annoying cuz you know I'm right._**

Yeah whatever.

**_Oh, a cleverer retort I have never heard!_**

Screw you.

**_Really? Again? Fine then. But don't blame me when you push away anyone that tries to help._**

I think I've done that already.

**_Amen to that._**

Don't even go there.

**_But seriously. You are starting to get it._**

Get what?

**_Everything._**

Everything about what?

Hello?

Anyone there?

And here I am, standing in the bathroom of my worst-enemy-turned-kind-of-best-friend's house, trying to get the snarky voice in my head to come back and talk to me because I'm lonely at one-something in the morning on a Monday night.

Fuck my life.

Growling, I pretty much kicked open the bathroom door to see a not-very-bleary eyed Rachel leaning against the wall beside her bedroom door halfway down the hall, giving me a level expression. Not saying a word, the brunette strode forward and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards her room. She nudged the door closed behind me, and directed me to the bed. She climbed in after me and curled up against my back. We both sighed, and I instantly felt comforted. With my own personal heater pressed against my back, I drifted off into an undisturbed sleep I had not felt in what seemed like forever.

**RPOV**

I woke up about 10 minutes before my alarm went off, and reached over to shut it off. Quinn obviously didn't sleep very much last night and I would give her a few extra minutes past my normal wake up time. Last night was interesting. I remember not being able to sleep, and I was pretty sure Quinn wasn't able to sleep either. My feet had seemed to move of their own accord, so that I was standing outside the bathroom door when the other girl had kicked it open with a look of despair. Also seeming of its own accord, my hand had reached out to grab hers. Everything just seemed so natural when we were together, and the fact that I wasn't exactly thinking coherently didn't help matters either. But then again, I did sleep better last night than I have in a long while. I slowly tried to ease out of the bed, but the blonde turned around and grabbed my midsection, holding me in place.

"Don't go." She mumbled into my neck. I relaxed back onto the mattress and started stroking her hair.

"I'm not going anywhere." A smile spread across Quinn's lips, and she nuzzled further into my front. She exhaled, and a stream of hot breath hit my collarbone, sending tingles across my skin.

"But we do have to wake up. We have school today, remember?"

"I don't wanna go." She responded in a childish voice.

"But you have to. Otherwise who knows what might happen to me?" I said this in a joking tone, but part of it was serious.

"You can stay here with me. It's not like anybody will miss us." The sad part about what she said was that it was almost true.

"Brittany and Santana will miss us. Well, they'll miss you." She grumbled and sat up.

"They would miss you too. You're one of us now." She flopped down again and tried to burrow into my shoulder. "Can't they just go make out in the janitor's closet and leave us alone?"

"Come on, get up. You know we have to go anyway." Quinn looked up at me with incredibly wide eyes.

"Do we seriously have to?"

"Yes. Now up and at 'em, morning breath." Mumbling curses, the cheerleader rolled up and out of the bed, trudging slowly towards the bathroom.

20 minutes later, after I had finished my shortened elliptical workout, Quinn appeared in the doorway, showered and changed back into the Cheerios uniform. Even though it was a subtle change in stance, I saw her shift to block the exit a little more, with an apprehensive look on her face. Sure, I still was nervous being around her when she looked so different, and yet so much the same, but I wasn't going to run away this time. I hope. She, however, did not know this; so when I walked towards the door, she immediately tensed up and prepared to keep me from leaving.

"Hey, I know I look different, but I'm still the same. Remember how I was yesterday? Remember that person. It's just me. Don't freak out, okay?" Quinn spoke as if to a hurt wild animal; slowly but still somewhat panicked. I smirked and pushed gently against the arm resting on the doorframe.

"Relax. I'm just going to take a shower. Unless you want me to stay all sweaty and grungy-looking." She visibly calmed down, and stood aside to let me pass.

"Well I wouldn't be entirely opposed to that idea…" Quinn said, regaining her confident, joking manner right before I stepped into the hallway. "Would that make Finn stay away?"

I looked at her, confused. "I thought you said you weren't jealous of me having him anymore?"

"When did I ever say you were the one I was jealous of?" The cheerleader twirled away, laughing. Goodness gracious, great balls of fire. I swear, this girl will be the death of me someday. I flipped her off (to her back of course), and stomped down the hall to the bathroom, each step punctuating a word in my thoughts. Stupid. Freaking. Finn. Making. Me. Feel. Guilty. Roar.

* * *

Half an hour later found the two of us getting out of the car in front of the school, mentally preparing for another day of strange looks and whispers behind our back. Standing at my locker, we made idle conversation as Quinn stared down anybody that aimed to confront the two of us.

"So what were you planning on doing for the Glee assignment?" I asked.

"Well, I was actually going to ask if you were open to doing a song with me." I grinned and clapped my hands together, jumping up and down a bit.

"Of course!" I paused and frowned. "But didn't Mr. Schue say that we can't do a duet with anybody?" Quinn took a deep breath, as she seemed to be battling with something internally.

"Yeah, well, I was going to ask Puck to help. I figured you wouldn't have that big of a problem with it, seeing as you and him are… _friends_." She nearly spat out the last word. "Plus, the song is originally sung by a guy, and the vocal range seemed to best fit that squirrel-haired moron."

"Be nice. I'll ask him about it; we have first period together, which I will _not_ be missing, thank you very much." I glared pointedly at the girl, and she turned pink.

"Well you could've just left me and gone anyway." She said in a small voice. I scoffed.

"As if." The bell rang, signaling five minutes to get to class.

"Okay, well, see you at lunch." I turned, but Quinn grabbed my elbow.

"Oh, hell no. I'm walking you to class." She linked her arm with mine and started walking forward.

"Look, I get that you're trying to be chivalrous and all, but you don't seriously have to do that."

"Like I said before: I want to."

"But why?"

"I dunno. I just want to. So deal with it." She smirked at me. I raised my hands in defeat.

"Well I'm not gonna protest when the hottest girl in school wants to walk me to class."

"True that."

"Humble much?"

"Jealous much?" I laughed, and I would have sworn she mumbled, "I do this too much."

"Aw, have you lost your muchness?" I asked teasingly.

"I still have my muchness, thank you very much." She retorted indignantly.

"But some people would say that you were much more muchier before." I shot back.

"Well Alice ended up killing the Jabberwocky even without her muchness though, didn't she? I am perfectly fine with losing my muchness if I get you as a consolation prize." She bumped my shoulder with hers, and my face turned red. I was glad that when I looked up we were at my biology class.

"Um. So yeah I should go. Thanks. See you." I gave her an awkward one armed hug and watched the head cheerleader run down the hall to her own first class. I walked into the lab room and slid into the seat next to the Mohawk-topped football player I was looking for.

"What's up Jewbabe?"

"Hey Noah, I have a question…"

**QPOV**

I dashed into the classroom right as the final bell rang, and plopped down in my normal seat next to Santana.

"Have fun with Berry?" She asked, already knowing the answer. "Q, you're going to need to be careful."

"And why would that be?" I asked, fishing a pencil out of my bag.

"Subtlety? Not your thing. You think walking down the hall with Rachel Freaking Berry on your arm is going to _not_ start rumors?"

"Well what do you want me to do about it, Santana? I can't very well go back to slushying her every day or something!" The Latina rolled her eyes.

"Always the extremist. I'm not saying you need to. Just try toning down the cute couple-looking shit. I mean seriously. Not even Britt and I act like that." I raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay maybe we do. But it's still not a good thing for you two to act that way too!"

"We're friends. I'm not acting like anything more or less. Do you think that if B was in my place today that she would act like anything less? Sure, Rachel might feel a little more awkward, but not by much."

"But that's B. You're you. Britt-Britt will be like that with anybody. God knows she does with Stubbles McCripplePants enough…" She murmured the last part, but I still heard her. She regained her focus and continued.

"But you aren't like that. You're Miss ice-queen-untouchable-I-have-no-fun-leave-me-alone. At least, you are at school. I know you aren't really like that, but everybody else sees you as an uptight bitch who isn't social with anyone unless you're dating them. You're giving them all an inch. _They will take a mile_. See? This is what I was trying to explain to Berry the other day. You guys don't think of things like this. What do you think will happen if Jewfro gets a hold of this? I can just see it on his blog: EXCLUSIVE NEW STORY! Head Cheerio Quinn Fabray and Glee Loser Rachel Berry are involved in a Sapphic Love Fest! Who knows, maybe he'll even throw in B and I to make it more interesting." I had blanched considerably by the end of Santana's rant, and was paying no attention to what the teacher was saying about sines and cosines.

"Look, I'm not saying that you have to freeze Rachel out; God no, don't do that. I'm just saying that you might want to tone down your… friendship around most of the school a bit. Like in _hallways_ and such. In Glee and class do whatever you want; I don't care, but you're much more likely to run into trouble around the entire student body, rather than a few people." I lowered my gaze, thinking over what she had said. Eventually I nodded.

"I get it. I'll be more careful. Thanks San."

"No problema mi amiga." I looked back up at the board.

"Shit I have no clue what just happened. I hate trigonometry." I scribbled furiously trying to get the notes down and actually understand what was going on.

Santana laughed and reached over with her own pencil, erasing my hastily placed markings and putting them in the correct spots.

"No, sin A is the opposite over the hypotenuse. _Cosine _A is the adjacent over the hypotenuse. You have it mixed up." I looked at her, my brain frazzled.

"But you were paying just as little attention as I was!" She laughed again.

"I learned this stuff when I was 11. Remember that nerd camp I went to the summer before sixth grade? Yeah, we did a bit more than just play Ultimate Frisbee all day like I made it seem." I gaped at her.

"Can you tutor me or something?" I asked, but she scoffed.

"You don't need it. You're still one of the smartest ones in here, even if you aren't as good as me." She smirked and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. We both started giggling, and the teacher glared at us.

"Miss Lopez, Miss Fabray, is there something you would like to share?"

"None of your beeswax, lady." My bitchy friend shot back.

"No ma'am, Santana was just showing me the relationship between sine and cosine."

"Kiss up." The Latina whispered in my ear once the teacher turned back around.

"And how many times has my kissing up saved your ass?" She started counting on her fingers, losing track along the way.

"My point exactly. Oh, by the way, I might not be with you and Britt for lunch today."

"Why?"

"I'm going to work on a song for Glee with Rachel." Her nose scrunched in confusion.

"Why would anybody do that willingly?" I whacked her arm to protest, but she only smirked.

"Okay. Well, B and I were actually thinking about a little something for Glee too, but we'll keep you posted if we want you involved."

"Psh. Who wouldn't?" I said with mock-pompousness. I looked back in front of me and my face fell. "Wait, what did she just say?" Santana rolled her eyes.

"You don't need a tutor; you just need to focus. Okay, so if you know the value of two sides of the triangle and you know the value of the angle in between them, you can find the area of the entire triangle by multiplying the two sides together, and then that number by half, and then multiply that by the sine of the angle…"

Hmm… I wonder if Santana could explain my life as easily as she can explain trig…

**A/N: Hello there! So, first thing's first: who likes coffee? I do! Second thing is second: I love all of you. I love your faces too. Even though I can't see them. But still. Third thing is third (and this one is actually serious): I kind of have no idea what I'm doing, so the randomness of this chapter can be held to that. So if you have an idea, please tell me. I need something new to integrate into the story. Fourth thing is – okay whatever. So I changed the cover picture of the story (it's an Achele pic) because I think it is how I would portray Quinn and Rachel's friendship. Ummm and yeah I have two songs picked out for the upcoming Glee thing. Ideas anyone for what other peoples can sing? Read and ****_Review_**** please! Oh, and I might upload another chapter tomorrow. I have the house to myself so no interruptions, yay! Peace out y'all. :)**


	16. Finnept

Glee owned by me, it is not.

Chapter 16

**RPOV**

My phone buzzed halfway through first period, and I hurriedly checked it, wondering who could be texting me. Normally the only person that would text me is Noah, and he's sitting next to me.

**Quinn: hey rach how did it go with Puck?**

**Me: it went fine. how is your number in my contacts?**

**Quinn: the other night I added it bc I was jealous that Puck got to text you so much ;)**

**Me: I don't exactly approve of your motives, but ok**

**Quinn: I told S that we might be practicing for Glee during lunch. that ok?**

**Me: sure**

**Quinn: k. I should go; trig requires my attention :P**

**Me: have fun. see you in a couple hours :)**

**Quinn: bye**

I stuck my phone back into my pocket and returned to chatting with Noah about the newest videogames, and whether they were any good. Most girls would turn their noses up at the habit guys have of talking about videogames all the time; but I actually talk about them enough myself to not care. I just make sure to not do so around most people. Or any people. Noah and I have become the type of friends that know about each other's secret personalities and guilty pleasures, and trust each other with them. For example, I know that on the inside Puck is really a goody two shoes and a nerd. He is also obsessed with birds. It's something like oncology or ornithopia or whatever… Ornithology! That's what it was! Ornithology is the study of birds, and Noah is obsessed with it. Also, he knows that I can sometimes be a badass outside of school (his words, not mine). He also knows about my geek room. And about… other things.

"Who was that?" He asked me suddenly.

"Oh. Uh… Quinn." A range of emotions passed across his face, but eventually settled on a pout.

"Man! I thought I was the only one you texted."

"You were. Until about," I checked the time on my phone. "3 days and 8 hours ago. But Quinn wasn't actually the first person since you that I've texted. Santana was, strangely enough." His brow furrowed in mock annoyance.

"She robbed me of my title!" I raised an eyebrow at him and he broke into a smile. "But seriously Rach, I'm really glad they've started being nice to you. Sure, it was pretty unbelievable for a little while, but then I thought about it, and it really isn't. I've pretty much dated all four of you at some point in time, and I know that you are all capable of being really great people if you put effort into it. Well, you're kind of just a good person all the time. They on the other hand actually have to try to be agreeable. Anyways, it's not impossible; or even improbable, that you all could be friends." He wiggled his eyebrows at me and said, "Or maybe something else…?"

I pushed the football player in the arm. "Shut up; don't go there."

"Oh, come on, you're not seriously telling me that you and Baby Mama became besties overnight without a little somethin-somethin?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you."

"Just you wait." He muttered.

"What?" I asked, not sure what that meant.

"Huh? I didn't say anything. So how come Quinn asked for me to help with this Glee thing? I thought she hated my guts." I shrugged.

"She said that the song fit your vocal range the best. But, given her nature, I doubt that's the only reason. That would be why I would do something; not why she would do something." He nodded sagely, before turning back to the projector.

"Oh, hey, look! It's a scarlet ibis! They're very rare, and are often used in symbolism in literature." He exclaimed in delight.

"*Nerd*" I faux-coughed.

"Whatever. You're just jealous because you have a B average in this class and I have an A." He smirked, because he knew he was right.

"Maybe. But at least it doesn't jeopardize my precious _reputation_." He growled at me, but didn't say anything.

The bell rang soon afterwards, and I dragged myself to second period. At least in biology I had Noah; in second period I had to deal with _Finn_ the entire time. There was a time when this would have been pure heaven but now I just scoff at how I was then.

"Hey Rachel!" Finn greeted me enthusiastically. I gave him a weary smile.

"Hello Finn." There was silence between us for a few minutes before he spoke up again.

"So I was wondering if you maybe wanted to help me with a song for Glee?"

"I'm sorry Finn, but I'm already helping someone else with their Glee project." He gave me a look as if I was joking.

"If you don't want to work with me, that's fine; but don't make stuff up."

"I'm not. Someone actually did ask me to help them." My voice stayed low, as I tried to stay calm. The silence returned, lasting for only slightly longer than before.

"Look, I don't know what's been going on between us lately, but I didn't think you would lie to me."

"What the _hell_ is your problem?!" I whispered angrily, as my resolve finally broke. "Are you a moron, or just idiotic all the time? I really am working with someone for Glee, and even if I wasn't; the last person I would want to work with is _you_!" My hand shot up.

"Ms. Blethiem, may go to the bathroom?" My geometry teacher glared at me, but motioned for me to go. I stormed out of the room, and 20 pairs of eyes watched me go.

True to my word, I did make my way to the bathroom. I flung open the door and rushed at the opposing wall, channeling all my anger through my fist to smash into the tile. A whimper escaped my lips as pain shot through my knuckles up into my arm. I stared down at the purple bruises already starting to appear across the back of my hand, and a part of my mind seemed to slip into abandon. The physical hurt mingled with the dredged-up hurt inside me. Tears blurred my vision, and I stood, my head bowed, back to the door, unsuccessfully trying to stop the shaking of my body. I don't know how much longer I stayed this way until I heard the door creak open.

"Go away." My voice wavered, despite my attempts to make it sound intimidating. Strong yet gentle arms turned me around, and I was pulled towards a warm, cinnamon-scented body, so that I was being held securely. A chin rested delicately upon my head.

"I'm not going anywhere." Hearing these words, I broke down and sobbed into the front of Quinn's Cheerio uniform, hands fisting in the midsection of it as if clinging for dear life. The hand holding my upper back reached up and fingers combed through my hair gently. The arm around my waist tightened, and I sagged further into the support. Gradually, my racking sobs turned into hiccups, and Quinn disentangled us to walk to sink and wet a paper towel, handing it to me to clean up my eyes. I felt a strange sense of déjà vu when I took the paper towel, but shrugged it off as my emotional state being unstable.

"How did you know?" I asked after a couple minutes.

"Everybody knows." Quinn replied. "This is McKinley. Rumors travel faster than the flu does. I've heard everything from 'Star Quarterback finally ditches Loser Girlfriend' to 'Finn Hudson acts like a prick and gets dumped'. I'm guessing that the second one is more accurate?" I nodded slowly.

"What did he say?" She asked tentatively. I shook my head, having wiped off the last trail of mascara on my cheek, and turned to throw away the damp paper towel.

"Nothing more than usual. It's just that I finally realized how much of a jerk he can be. Things have been… tense lately. This was just the breaking point." I paused. "Those rumors aren't entirely true. I never said he and I were over; but as of now, we are." I turned towards the cheerleader.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being here." She smiled.

"I had to fight with Puck, B, and S in the hall for who would come in here. Believe me, you wouldn't be alone." Tears sprang to my eyes again, but I dashed them away quickly, not wanting to turn into a mess again.

"You once asked me why I cared. I get it now. Once you get used to being alone, it's hard to let someone in, isn't it?" She walked forward and grabbed my hand.

"Yes. Yes it is." We walked to the door, and three bodies almost fell over the threshold towards us when we opened it. Puck actually did fall forward, doing a face plant on the bathroom floor. Santana was only saved by Brittany staying upright with her dancer's grace, and grabbing the back of the Latina's uniform before she could topple.

"Eavesdropping? Really?" Quinn snorted. "That's low, even for you three."

Puck recovered quickly from his fall and stood up, patting me all over to make sure I was all there and all right.

"You okay Babe?" He asked, concerned. A quick glance in my peripheral vision caught a menacing glare being thrown at Puck by the head cheerleader. I would have sworn it looked almost… jealous. Must be my imagination… I pushed gently at the boy's chest, in a tacit sign to back of a bit.

"I'm fine, Noah. Thank you for your concern." Turning back around, I saw Brittany and Santana giving me equally concerned looks.

"I'm fine, really guys! It's just something that Finn said hit a little bit too close to some of my insecurities."

"What did he say." A low growl was emitted from Santana.

"Nothing important." I responded, trying to avoid unnecessary conflict.

"_What did he say_, Berry." Behind Santana's eyes, a fire was building, and I threw a helpless look to Brittany, looking for guidance. However, she looked just as angry; but rather than a fire, she had the small waves that come before a tsunami.

"It may have been something along the lines of nobody other than him wanting to be around me…" I mumbled, admitting defeat.

"_Ese imbécil está tan muerto._ (That asshole is so dead.)" Santana spun, most likely ready to march down the hall and pound Finn's face in, but Brittany's hands on her shoulders stopped her.

"_¡Perohas oídoeso también! ¡Él se lo merece!_ (But you heard that too! He deserves it!)" Brittany nodded but started whispering in the Latina's ear, so that she eventually calmed down, and instead a sly smile spread across her face.

"He'll get what's coming to him; just you watch." She pointed at the three of us that had been waiting on tenterhooks for her response. A sigh of relief passed around us, but apparently not everybody was fine.

"But seriously Rachel, that was pretty messed up to say. I'll talk to him after football practice today." I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "Don't worry, I really will just talk. I'm on probation from the school anyway. If I rough up anyone else I'll get suspended for a month. Can't have that happen." I nodded. The bell rang, and a stampede of students exiting classrooms filled our vision. Automatically, Quinn's arm linked with mine protectively. I looked to my other side and identical maliciously gleeful grins were on the other two cheerleaders' faces.

"Lunch time!" Santana crowed, striding forward, parting the crowd of students like the Red Sea, with Brittany a half step behind her. I stared after them, wondering where they were going, until a head of close-cropped mussed brown hair sticking out above the heads of everybody else caught my attention.

"Oh God what are they going to do?" I asked, tugging at the arm that was now a restraining measure. We slowly moved forward, and the student body surged around us, bringing Quinn, Puck and I ever closer to the scene playing out in the hallway in front of us. Finn looked up to see Brittany and Santana walking towards him, and was completely unaware of what he was in for.

"Oh hey Britt-" The blonde in question shoved Finn by the shoulder into the locker beside him and pinned the football player there effortlessly. Wow, Quinn wasn't joking when she said Brittany could snap us in half like a twig. A swift knee kick to the groin then had Finn doubled over in pain. Santana glided forward and forced the boy's chin up, so that he was looking her dead in the face.

"Now listen here Finnept. I am going to say this very slowly, seeing as you're obviously too stupid to understand anything above a 4 year old level of brain function. You think nobody wants to be around Rachel? Just watch what happens the next few days. You're going to learn firsthand what it's really like to be alone. Got it?" With another kick to the groin, the two cheerleaders left Finn leaning against the lockers; both his ego and his body bruised. As the three of us remaining swept by him, I stopped and leaned over.

"Oh, and by the way? We're through." Then, with a grin on my face, I quickened my pace to catch up with my… friends. I suppose they really are my friends. It's hard to believe, but they are. Not just anybody would do what they just did for me.

"Do you still want to practice today?" Quinn asked me.

"Of course! The show must go on!" Smiles spread around at the display of typical Rachel Berry determination.

"I would ask if we could watch, but you're our competition, so I don't know how well that would work out." Santana said with a smirk.

"We'll see you guys later!" Brittany chirped, pulling Santana in the other direction; but not before Quinn whispered something in the Latina's ear. The last thing we heard from the second-in-command before her girlfriend tugged her away was, "Go big or go home, right?"

So true.

**QPOV**

"Subtlety? Not your thing." I murmured in Santana's ear, smirking at the disgruntled look my friend adopted. However, she turned back towards me a moment later with a mischievous glint in her eye, indicating that what she was about to say was probably not something I wanted to hear.

"Go big or go home, right?" She then followed her skipping girlfriend down the hall.

What the hell did that mean? Other than the obvious, of course.

I turned and followed Puck and Rachel to the auditorium, choosing to ignore the arm he had around her waist.

I shouldn't care, right?

Right?

Why did I have to pick _this song_ to do with these two?

Freaking Santana.

**A/N: Heyyy… I feel like I was distracted or something during this chapter so I'm not sure how it turned out. Yay Finn-bashing! I was originally going to have Finn be not really very bad, and be actually kind of okay with everything; but I dislike him too much. It turned out that he acted like a jerk. Well, in my head it turned out that way. So Puck is now replacing what Finn was supposed to be! And Sam's going to kind of fill that role too. So I realized that in this part of the canon season Quinn, Santana, and Brittany were off the Cheerios, and in the story they are still on the team. Never fear, I shall remedy that soon enough. (I mean unless you guys want them to stay on. In which case, TELL ME.) Also, I realize that in the third season Puck almost ends up failing; which conflicts with what I said in this chapter; but if I keep writing through the third season I'll think up something that probably causes him emotional trauma etc. so that he loses his grades. (Again: unless you don't want that to happen. In which case, TELL ME.) And for the sake of consistency (this is only for nitpicky people), I know at the end of Santana's apology a few chapters back she said she had practice on Monday but then she was at Glee in the afternoon, not practice. That's because there was a Cheerios practice in the morning before school on Monday that Quinn forgot about and didn't go to, given the problems she was having at the time, so it was not mentioned. That may come into play in a chapter or two. Umm so yeah, read and review please. **

**PS: Sorry for the long author's note. Peace out. :)**


	17. Away From Here

Unfortunately, I don't own Glee… *sigh* Brittana…

Chapter 17:

**RPOV**

Today just seemed to pass in a blur. Everything went by so _fast_. My emotions were on some demented rollercoaster, the things that were normal in my life were now flipped, and I'm pretty sure my brain hasn't caught up with where I am and what I'm doing now. I could just imagine the dazed look that must be on my face as we walked out of English.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked. I shook my head like a dog with water in its ear.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired. Long day."

"I never thought I would see the day when _Rachel Berry_ was talking in fragmented sentences…" She said with a smirk. My hand moved towards her arm in an attempted playful shove, but it turned into more of a half-assed poke. Her expression changed to concerned.

"Whoa, you really are tired. Are you sure you're okay to drive?" Drive? Why drive? Drive where? What? Where am I? School. Ohhh, drive home! Should I drive home? Wait but I would be alone… No alone. No loneliness. Kills ducks. China.

"Where you going?" I asked feebly.

"Cheerios practice. Like I do every Tuesday and Wednesday. But you, m'lady, are going home. Somehow." I shook my head, this time firmly saying no.

"I'll wait."

"What? That's kind of ridiculous. You don't have to wait. We won't be done until 5:30! What would you do until then?" I shrugged.

"Watch? Watch the football practice? Sing? I don't know. But I'm waiting until you're done."

"But why? Brittany or Santana could drop me off afterwards."

"On a motorcycle which barely fits two people? I don't think so."

"You don't have to do this. Go home, sleep. You're dead tired anyway."

"No. I'm waiting. Now go, before Sylvester gets mad that you are late." I pushed her towards the Cheerios locker room, and made my way around the school to the bleachers.

The interesting thing was, this actually wasn't that unusual for me. Often when I felt alone I would come up here after school and watch the sports teams. The football players, the Cheerios, the hockey players, the rugby players; they were all always my idols – although I would never admit that out loud – and I would always imagine what it would be like to be in their shoes. To be part of something. That's all I've ever wanted: to be part of something. Sure, I want to grow up and be a Broadway star, but even then surely I would be part of a cast, of an acting community, of a population of New York, hopefully part of a family. I sighed. But high school is just the hell I have to put up with until I get there.

My attention turned to the football players off to my right. I'm glad Coach Beiste came to McKinley. The football team has gotten so much better, and I know that has really boosted the players' confidence. The drills now look really well organized and are executed precisely and with finesse, unlike before. Before, Coach Tanaka would wave off the football players, telling them to do whatever, and then go eat a sandwich and cry about Miss Pillsbury. Suddenly, a commotion broke out off to the side in a group of the players. I peered out, straining to see what was going on, although I pretty much could guess at it. A fist swung and someone got hit in the face, and then Coach Beiste's whistle could be heard, followed by barking of orders. The group split up, and a tall, brown-haired boy, a slightly shorter, Mohawk-headed boy, and a blonde were marched off the field by their coach. I sighed again. Most people would think I would jump up and chase after them, but that would really be kind of useless. Someone was going to get in trouble, and there was nothing I could do about it. I would call Noah in a few minutes though. My eyes slid to my left to look at the Cheerios.

This sighing thing was becoming a habit.

**Omniscient POV**

Finn stood off in the sidelines of the field, taking a water break. The team was getting much better than before. This was a great sign, but it also meant practices were more exhausting. Puck took off his helmet and walked over to join his teammate by the water bottles.

"What were you thinking today?" Puck asked after a moment of silence.

"Huh?" Finn turned his head to give his comrade a confused look.

"What were you thinking when you said that to Rachel?" Finn shrugged.

"Since when do you care?" Puck rounded on the taller boy.

"Since when do _I_ care? I'm the least of your problems. Just answer the damn question! What could have possessed you to say that to the girl?" Finn shrugged again.

"She wasn't being truthful."

"Like hell she wasn't. Rachel doesn't lie."

"No, seriously. She kept insisting that she was already working with someone for the Glee project."

"Yeah. So?"

"She was lying to me." Puck closed his eyes and took two deep breaths before opening them.

"And what makes you think that?" He asked in a voice strained with anger.

"Well, who would? Nobody in Glee club really likes her. They've all been mean to her at some point or another. A lot of them are mean to her on a daily basis. Plus she's difficult to be around. I can't imagine anybody actually _wanting_ to work with her on something." Puck's fist tightened and pulled back, but he stopped himself before it could slam forward. He let it drop, and instead just looked at Finn with an expression of pity.

"You really are an idiot."

"Hey! What is your problem? It's not like anything I just said was wrong."

"You're right. _Everything_ you just said was wrong. She wasn't lying."

"Wait. What?" Finn said, with a confused look.

"She wasn't lying when she said she was already working with someone."

"You're joking."

"No, Finn, I'm not! God, you are so… so… asinine!" _Wow, I sound like Rachel,_ Puck thought.

"But then… who is she working with?"

"Quinn and I."

"No way."

"Deal with it. You may not appreciate her, but some people do."

"What, like the girl who made her life miserable for three years and the boy who never gave her the time of day?" Puck rushed at Finn, but a weight tackled him from the side to stop his charge.

"Let me go, Evans!" Puck yelled as blonde hair came into his peripheral vision.

"No! You're on probation! No fighting!"

"But he deserves it!"

"Of course he does, but that doesn't mean you deserve the punishment."

"He just insulted Rachel, Quinn, and me all at the same time!" The weight shifted a bit as Sam's resolve weakened.

"And I was glad doing it, too." Finn's voice carried to the four ears.

"What is your problem, Hudson?" Sam asked, shifting a bit more to pin the still-struggling Puck down and look at Finn at the same time.

"Nobody gets it, do they? Everything is so majorly messed up right now! Rachel is supposed to be all googly-eyed over me, but she seems to hate me. Quinn is supposed to be still after me, but now she seems to hate me, too. Puck, Santana and Brittany are all standing up for Rachel, when they've hated her since elementary school. Why is _Rachel_ all of a sudden who everybody wants to hang out with? That should be me! I'm the star quarterback, I'm the most popular guy in school, I'm the male lead in Glee Club, and _I'm_ the one that everybody should be chasing after! That's why I'm me!" This time Puck didn't even have to struggle, as Sam was already up and punching Finn in the nose.

"HEY HEY HEY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!" Coach Beiste's voice boomed at the three boys. She grabbed Sam and Finn by the back of their jersey's and pulled them away from each other. She pointed them towards the principal's office.

"MARCH! YOU TOO, PUCKERMAN!"

The three did indeed march to the principal's office, and two of them shared similar smirks and a fist bump.

**RPOV**

The phone rang a couple of times before the line picked up.

"Noah!"

"Hey Rach."

"I thought I told you not to fight with Finn! Well I suppose that I didn't really, and that you just assuaged my concerns before they were voiced. But I was about to and you knew it and said that you wouldn't fight with him! How in the world will the school system overlook punching another kid! I'll tell you, it won't! Don't ruin your future like this! Was it really worth it to punch Finn?"

"I didn't." I could tell by his tone that he was smirking while he said this.

"Wait, but – whaaa?"

"I didn't hit him. Sam did."

"Sam? Sam Evans? As in, Trouty-Mouth Ken-without-Barbie Bad-Imitations Newish-to-Glee-Club Sam Evans?"

"The very same."

"But why would he do that?"

"Beats me."

"Did he get in trouble?"

"He got suspended for a day, but since this is his first infraction it was much better than it could have been."

"That's good. I'll thank him on Thursday when he gets back."

"Okay."

"Are you alright?"

"Other than the fact that I wasn't the one able to hit that mo-"

"Noah."

"-_ron _in the face? Yeah I'm fine."

"Well then go nurse your bruised ego. I'll see you tomorrow."

"'kay Jewbabe." I rolled my eyes.

"Goodbye Puckerman."

I pressed the end button on my phone and dropped it back into my bag. My attention focused back on the Cheerios. Jeez, why would _anyone_ like guys? Seriously. Guys have absolutely _nothing_ on girls…

**QPOV**

I was nervous. Coach had been giving me the evil eye all practice. Granted, she gave everybody the evil eye; but she had been staring at me a lot more than usual today. The muscles in my legs screamed as I held my position at the top of the pyramid.

"PATHETIC!" Coach screamed at us over the megaphone. "RUN IT AGAIN!"

I reluctantly fell back into the waiting arms of the other cheerleaders, and stood on the ground for a moment before launching myself up to the top again. This time my legs held strong, and I was proud of myself for overcoming the need to twitch.

"Have fun with RuPaul, Fabray?" My eyes widened and I looked down to see the glinting malevolence I had grown so accustomed to showing myself peering up at me from the girl beneath me. I believe her name was Lauren? She was a bit taller than most of the cheerleaders, with stick-straight platinum-blonde hair and a naturally lean body. Her angular cheekbones framed a lightly freckled face, with a nose slightly more elongated than mine, set above lips often pressed in a thin line – that is, when they were not being swallowed by some random football player. Her large, bright green eyes stared at me with not a shred of sympathy; but instead with a thirst for power and control. I shivered. Is this what I look like to most people?

"I'm sure being around that _thing_ will bring you down from the top eventually. Why not start now?" A grin appeared on her face, but it lacked any humor or warmth.

Subtly, but forcefully, she shook her hand, which was holding my left foot. I wobbled a little, until she pushed a little harder, and I fell backwards, arms wheeling as I tried, futilely, to stay balanced. Luckily, the spotters on the ground could catch me mostly, but not before my left knee and upper back hit the earth with a jarring _thud/smack._ I looked up, frightened, to see an enraged Sue Sylvester staring down at me, eyes ablaze. She lifted her megaphone until it was two inches from my face, before shouting into it, making my ears ring.

"TEN LAPS AROUND THE TRACK, FABRAY!" I shot up, ignoring the dull pain in my knee and the tightness in my back, and started running, feet slapping against the asphalt with every step.

The pain gradually got worse, and I was struggling to breathe by the fifth lap. Multitasking? Not my thing. Breathing and running at the same time became what seemed like the most challenging task of all time. A few times I slowed down and bent over, feeling like my guts were going to tumble out, but I just swallowed several times and kept running. After all, hadn't I done this a hundred times before? Two and a half miles was really not that bad; especially as a punishment by Coach Sylvester. However, the throbbing in my left leg and the sharp pain in my back hindered my movement and made the task much harder. I finished my ninth lap and sprinted the last quarter of a mile. My legs wobbly, I jogged over to Coach, who was standing and watching me after all the other cheerleaders had left.

"Yes Coach?" I said, taking huge gulps of air.

"You're off the team, Quinn."

She turned to leave, but I broke out of my shocked state and stopped her.

"Wait, because of falling?" The formidable woman turned back towards me.

"No. I knew I was kicking you off before practice even started. I need a captain who is committed to this team, Q, and you are not her."

"How am I not committed?"

"You missed practice. Nobody misses practice and gets away with it."

"What practice did I mi- oh. Right." Wasn't there supposed to be a practice yesterday morning? Shit! How did I miss that? Of course, I know exactly why I missed that.

"I want your uniform dry cleaned and on my desk by the time school starts tomorrow morning." She picked up her megaphone and held it up to my face. "NOW GET YOUR STINK OF FAILURE OFF MY FIELD!" I nodded and sprinted away towards the locker room.

* * *

Rachel caught up with me in the hall once I exited the Cheerios locker room. My pace didn't slow, and I brushed past her, walking towards the doors out of the school.

"Quinn, are you all right?" I scoffed. As if I could be _all right_ after what just happened.

"Quinn, talk to me. _Please_." I ignored her and kept walking. This was all her fault, wasn't it? Everything! Everything was her fault! It was her fault that I missed the practice. It was her fault that I fell. It was her fault that I got kicked off the Cheerios. It was _all_ her fault. It was her fault that I care enough not to say anything I might regret.

I shoved the door open and strode out into the parking lot, but did not move towards any one of the cars. Instead, I headed towards the sidewalk, and turned right when I reached the street outside the school.

"Where are you going?" The annoyingly persistent brunette must have followed me.

"Home." I growled, biting my tongue to keep any more words from leaving my mouth.

"Why?"

"Because that's where I need to go."

"But you weren't going to-" I spun on my heel to face her.

"Why is it any of your business, Berry?" I spat. Those big brown eyes I had grown to adore turned sad.

"Because I care about you." She turned and walked slowly back to the school's parking lot. I let out a scream of frustration. Why did life have to be so damn difficult?

I started running down the sidewalk, ignoring the pain that sprang up again in various parts of my body. My feet hit the pavement in a steady rhythm as I turned right, then left, then right again, then another right, until I ended up standing in front of the large Fabray mansion. Suddenly the adrenaline left my body and I was struck by how oddly foreign the house I had grown up in seemed to me. I slowly walked up the driveway and pushed open the front door, knowing it would be unlocked. My mother wobbled into the hall with a quarter-full glass of brandy, before seeing me and looking surprised.

"Quinnie! You came home!" Something in my mind suddenly clicked, and I was back to how I was before I left. I scoffed.

"Like you care." I pushed past her and strode down the hall and into my room.

Most people I know usually say they are most comfortable in their house or in their bedroom. I've never understood this. My house was a place in which I was tormented, abused, neglected. I found no comfort or solace here; only bad memories and unrealistic expectations. My bedroom has never been something to express myself or my inner person or any shit like that. It was something that my parents designed, with the intention that any relatives that wanted a tour of the house would find it charming and elegant; befitting of a Fabray daughter. My sister's bedroom was the same until she left for college. I headed there now, as it was really the only place in the house that I found even an ounce comforting. The day after my sister left I had called her, asking if I could use it as a place of solitude and escape. Fran agreed, knowing what the household was like, and told Mother not to go in there saying she wanted to preserve how it was before she left. I slowly opened the door and walked in, taking in the lavender walls and clear surfaces all around. My fingertips reached out and ran along the walls, skimming over the surfaces of picture frames hanging on hooks. As my eyes flicked from one black and white to another, I entered my own world. These photos had allowed me to escape from the torment then, how about now? I remember how it felt to capture each moment of pure and simple beauty: in nature, in humans, in the combination of both. Suddenly, the door creaking open further caught my attention, and I spun to see my mother standing in the doorway, looking shocked. Her face gradually hardened. I didn't get that look from just anywhere.

"What is this?"

"Fran's old room." I replied cheekily.

"I understand that. What is all _this_?" She motioned around to the walls, which were cleared of Fran's old posters and instead filled with photographs I had taken throughout the past few years. I smirked.

I just realized, I no longer care. I don't care about any of it. Her, Cheerios, my reputation, none of it. Sure, this seemed _way_ too sudden, and it was probably just spur-of-the-moment nonchalance, but who cares? I'll go with it.

"Couldn't control all of me, could you _Mom_?" Her mouth dropped open at my rebellious comment. I never acted like this. Usually the extent of my vocabulary in my house was 'yes ma'am,' 'no ma'am,' and the occasional 'whatever.' Her voice shook as she pointed out the door.

"Lucy Quinn Fabray, go to your room."

"Gladly." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I slid past the blonde woman in the doorway.

When I got to my room I slammed the door and grabbed a duffel bag off of the top shelf of my closet. I started throwing random essentials into the bag. Clothes. Toiletries. Phone charger. Two books. I looked around the room for anything I had missed, before getting an idea. My head craned around the door as I peered down the hall towards the room from which I had just come. Luckily, my mother wasn't standing there anymore. I tiptoed over to Fran's bedroom and took my 6 favorite photos off the wall, before running back to my own bedroom. The frames were then discarded, and the photographs stuffed into an envelope and into the side pocket of my bag. I reached underneath my bed and grabbed a cardboard box, taking the relatively small stack of bills inside it and rolling them up to stick into the corner of the duffel bag. Zipping everything up, I grabbed my car keys off the desk and marched out towards the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" My mother called after me.

"Anywhere away from here!" I laughed and called back. Slamming the front door behind me, I hopped into my car waiting in the driveway, which I had not driven since Thursday, threw my bag in the backseat and stuck the key in the ignition. Letting out a whoop I backed out onto the street and turned towards town.

I had a couple errands to run.

**A/N: 'EYYYYYYYY… hahaha. Okay so this chapter was sort of dramatic. I suppose. Just a tad. :j So tell me what you think! I decided to not really explain in every author's note what is different (shout out to the anonymous reviewer who helped me decide this!) so just keep in mind: this deviates from canon. Quite a bit. So uh yeah read and review please. I'm home alone so another chapter may go up today or tomorrow. In case anyone's interested, I've storyboarded the climactic scene for the story and it is going to be EPIC. Thankies for reading! Lol. Peace out. :)**


	18. Lightweight

I don't own Glee.

Chapter 18

**RPOV**

The front door swung open to reveal a very different Quinn Fabray than I was used to. I stood, gaping at her.

"Rachel, look, I'm really sorry about what I said. I know you care, and you can't imagine how grateful I am for that. My mind was just… slipping. I was slipping and I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" Steeling myself, I crossed my arms across my chest and stood more solidly. I really did not want to do this, but I had thought long and hard, and no way was this going to fly.

"So you thought you could show up two hours after basically throwing everything in my face with a new haircut and a bag and expect everything to be hunky-dory?" The hopeful look on her face melted off to reveal a very broken and frightened girl. _Don't crack, don't crack, don't crack, _I repeated in my head.

"I- I left my house…"

"You _what?_" I asked, incredulous.

"I guess it would count as running away…" I stepped over the threshold and held the blonde as she trembled; in fright or sadness I didn't know and didn't need to know. My fingers ran through the bottom of her now short, choppy locks, and my left thumb rubbed small, comforting circles on her lower back. I murmured nonsensical nothings in Quinn's ear, hoping she would be okay. Sure, I was bitter about what she had said earlier, but this girl needed someone right now. I was going to follow through on my promise to myself that I would be there for Quinn, no matter the circumstances. She sniffled and stood back.

"So what do you think of my haircut?" She asked with a watery chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, it suits you incredibly well." I winked at her, and got a giggle to drop from her lips, but then she became serious again.

"Rach I really am sorry. You helped me in a time when I had no one and I – I just threw it in your face today… Ugh I'm a terrible person, aren't I?" Her eyes followed me as I leaned over and picked up her bag (cuz I'm chivalrous like that) before I stood back up straight and kissed her on the temple.

"No. You are an amazing person who a lot of bad things have happened to. Now get your butt in my house! This thing is heavy." I motioned to the bag and swatted at her backside with my other hand. Her cheeks tinged pink, but she walked into the house, and I shut the door behind us. Quinn bounded up the stairs, with me following at a slower pace.

I got to the top to see the blonde standing in front of my bedroom door, glancing between it and the guest bedroom door. Using my free hand, I gently tapped her between the shoulder blades to signal she can go in. She opened the door and walked in, but not before hissing a little at my touch. My brow crinkled in concentration on the blonde's movements as I followed her, setting the bag down right inside the door. Quinn's gait had a slight limp which I hadn't noticed before, and her upper body moved very little. If she did move her torso, it was very stiffly, and she winced every time. Seeing the blonde cheerleader fall from the top of the pyramid played through my mind's eye, and fear started to set in.

"Quinn…" I started slowly. She turned a bit too quickly, and tried to cover her grimace of pain. My idea became more and more tangible.

"Those spotters did catch you when you fell, right?" Her eyes slid to the ground in what was an obvious attempt to avoid the truth.

"Kind of." My eyes widened.

"How do you _kind of_ catch someone?" I asked, now full on terrified that the girl was seriously hurt.

"They caught me, but I had already hit the ground…" I strode to her and started inspecting for visible bruises or breaks.

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"Where does it hurt?"

"My left leg and upper back." She said, after several moments of hesitation. I grabbed a tank top and pair of shorts off the top of my dresser and handed them to her.

"Change." She looked at me, confused.

"I need to see how bad it is." She shook her head determinedly and tried to hand back the clothes.

"It isn't that bad. I've had worse before." Oh no she did not just refuse my help. No one, I repeat, _no one_ refuses Rachel Berry. My determined face set firmly in place, I made things clear to her.

"I am not afraid to cut this shirt off of you to see how bad your injury is. Go. Change." Her face bright red, Quinn limped over to the bathroom with the clothes I had given her. If I hadn't been so set on achieving my purpose, I would have had the decency to turn red also, because I would definitely cut that shirt off for other reasons too… FOCUS.

Quinn came back into the room a few minutes later, and I audibly gasped. A large, purplish-green bruise spread from the middle of her left thigh to about 4 inches below her knee, and an angry-looking red line ran across the top of her kneecap. My hands trembling at my sides, I walked around to see the girl's back. Another large bruise colored her milky skin from the middle of her right shoulder blade to her spine, but it wasn't as formidable as the many knots of nerves that formed visible lumps beneath her skin. These were present at random points from her neck and shoulders to around the middle of her back. What sort of fall could have caused such painful results? _One from the top of a cheerleading pyramid_, a voice in the back of my head said. Composing myself, I walked back around to face Quinn.

"That's…" I shook my head "…does it hurt?" I asked, unable to complete my thought. Quinn's lips pulled into a tight smile.

"You think something like that _wouldn't_ hurt?"

"Um, okay, well, can you stay here for a second? I have to go do something." Yet another mental facepalm. Such power over speech I have. Quinn nodded and I ran out the door and down the stairs.

"Daddy! Where are you?" I called through the bottom floor of the house.

"Goodness, I think Quinn is a bad influence if she causes you to be like this all the ti-" Daddy's joking manner changed immediately to concern as he turned the hallway corner and saw the look on my face. "What happened?"

"Can you come look at something?" I asked, sounding desperate.

"Of course, honey." He followed me up the stairs and he also gasped when he saw Quinn. She was sitting at the foot of the bed, and looked up worriedly as we came in. Fear bloomed in her eyes when she saw Daddy, but he quickly put it to rest by shutting the door and kneeling down to inspect her leg without uttering a word. She glanced at the door with a questioning look, and I had to explain.

"Daddy's a doctor, and doesn't freak out about stuff like this, but Dad's a lawyer and isn't used to blood or injury. It might not be the best idea to chance him seeing, erm… that." I said, motioning at her leg. She nodded and closed her eyes, wincing as Daddy probed gently at the discolored skin. He stood up, but then caught sight of the beginnings of the bruise on her back, and his eyes widened like mine had. He walked around and kneeled on the side of the bed to look at her back, gasping much like I had.

"I see we have two drama queens in the family." Quinn said drily. "It really isn't that bad, guys." Daddy stood up and walked towards the door.

"It really is. And I'm a doctor." Quinn scoffed.

"I remember hearing something very similar from a nurse…" She mumbled under her breath. "Anyway, whatever. So do I have a clean bill of health? Can you call your daughter off?"

"You most certainly _do not_ have a clean bill of health! What happened to cause this?"

"She fell off the cheerleading pyramid." I answered for the other girl.

"Well did someone catch you?" He asked.

"Kind of." Quinn and I replied in unison. Daddy looked between me and Quinn a couple of times, before he shrugged and continued with his diagnosis.

"It seems like you have major skin-level bruising from about midways down your femur to midways up your tibia. There is probably a contusion to your patella that has actually affected the bone. I mean, it may be a fracture, but it's unlikely. On your back there's just some skin-level bruising and then a whole bunch of jacked up nerves that a good massage should fix. Altogether, it looks much worse than it is, but you still need to rest and not do any sort of physical activity for a little while."

"There's a slim chance of any physical activity anyway." Quinn said, her voiced laced with bitterness. "Thank you though." She said sincerely to Daddy. He smiled.

"You are most welcome. Have you eaten?"

"No, but if it's okay with you I'm really not that hungry. I'm just really tired." He nodded in understanding. Daddy opened the door and stepped out, but stopped before closing it behind him.

"If you girls need anything just tell me, okay?"

"'Kay." We said, again in unison. I frowned at the use of the vernacular, and Quinn and Daddy laughed before he closed the door. Quinn tried to cover up a wide yawn, and I realized how exhausting today must have been for her. It was exhausting for all of us, but she fell from _40 feet in the air_ for Pete's sake.

"Bed." I said firmly. She nodded, sleepy, before remembering something and shooting up and walking quickly to the door.

"Where ya going?" I asked. She started rummaging in her bag before procuring another bag and going out into the hallway.

"Bathroom." She called over her shoulder. Huh. Okay then. I lay back and looked up at my ceiling. An indefinite amount of time later, Quinn reentered the room, this time wearing large, black-framed glasses. My jaw slackened a bit as I took in the sight. She bent over to put the smaller bag back into the duffel, before straightening up and seeing my incredulous face.

"Um. What?" She asked.

"You… but… glasses?" I managed to get out.

"Oh yeah. I've been sleeping in my contacts for these past few days because I didn't have these with me. It hurt like hell, so I didn't want to do it again. I know I look terrible in them, but I don't really have another choice." She shrugged, and climbed onto the opposite side of the bed.

"You look nowhere near terrible in them. You totally pull off the glasses look. Totally. Absolutely. Can you maybe never take them off?" I stopped my flow of words. "Shit I said that out loud, didn't I?" She smirked and nodded.

"And why, may I ask, should I 'never take them off'?" This time I really did turn red.

"Well, because you're, err, ahem." I motioned vaguely towards her.

"I'm err ahem what?" Quinn's smirk grew bigger and I realized that she was toying with me.

"You know what I mean!"

"Yes, I do indeed know what you mean, but I would very much like to hear you say it." That damn smirk.

"But you already know what I mean! Why do I have to say it out loud?" I whined, enjoying this a tad, despite being the subject of such teasing.

"Because I said so."

"So?"

"So you have to do what I say." I scoffed.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm err ahem…"

"Ugh fine. What do you want me to say?"

"How do I look with glasses?" I turned to look her full in the face.

"You, Lucy Quinn Fabray, look absolutely, stunningly beautiful with glasses." As an afterthought, I added, "and without glasses too. But I really like the glasses."

Unexpectedly, I could see the hazel eyes fill up with tears behind the lenses of the spectacles.

"No! No crying! I just gave you a compliment! No crying! There's been much too much crying today." She laughed and wiped away the tears before they could fall.

"Happy tears." She said with a broad smile.

"But why? I thought you knew what I was going to say."

"I thought I did too. I expected some sort of mumbled 'you look hot' or something like that. It's what I would do. Probably. But what you said was so much more." I shrugged.

"I thought you'd be used to it. Seeing as you're 'err ahem'." I said with a smile. "Even a blind person couldn't miss it."

"Oh, I highly doubt that." This caused me to frown.

"Why? Don't tell me you're insec…" I trailed off in the middle of my sentence, shell-shocked. "Oh my God you are! But how?"

"Why did I get pregnant?" Well that was random.

"Because you slept with Puck… I thought you would have learned this part at least after Miss Holliday talked to us…" She chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I mean what made me sleep with Puck?" I racked my brain for a moment, before remembering a conversation in Glee club one afternoon.

"Because you felt fat that day and he got you drunk on wine coolers." Quinn nodded.

"What did I say my dream was when that Bryan Ryan guy came to Glee Club?"

"Uhhh… hang on, I know this one… Oh! Yeah! You said not having any stretch marks." That one had kind of puzzled me at the time.

"Why did I freak out and go all crazy-bitch running through the halls last month?"

"Because Lauren found out about Lucy."

"Why did I not want to go home last Friday?"

"Because your mom was saying terrible things to you about your appearance."

"Get the picture?" Suddenly all the puzzle pieces fit together, but not quite.

"I still don't get it." She sighed and her head drooped. "How can you be insecure about what you look like? It seems like it would be physically impossible to imagine you not looking like an angel fallen from heaven." Quinn smiled a little, but she still looked sad.

"Would you believe me if I told you that you are the first person to call me beautiful?"

"No. I wouldn't. There is no way that's true."

"Well, believe it. It is true." My mouth hung open. Suddenly I felt like tearing out my hair.

"Am I the only person in this world with _eyes_?" I yelled. She shrugged and leaned back until she was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I don't really want to talk about it." I opened my mouth to protest, but Quinn's gaze landed on me again, and it pleaded for me to let it go. Closing my mouth, I nodded and laid back next to her.

"At some point we are going to have to confront the whole running away thing too." She nodded.

"Tomorrow."

"Okay."

We laid for a while in comfortable silence. As random thoughts flitted through my head, I heard a loud yawn. I reached down to the foot of the bed and pulled the blanket up over me and Quinn. After a few minutes, her voice broke the silence.

"This might sound a little weird…" She hesitated.

"Say it anyway." I said.

"… can you maybe sing something?" After getting the question out, she seemed to try to cover it up by rushing out more words. "It's just that you have a really great voice and it's very soothing and I was just wondering and just forget it sorry never mind." I laughed lightly.

"No, it's fine. I believe there was actually a compliment hidden in that garbled mess of words just now…" I poked the blonde in the side lightly, making sure to avoid any potentially bruised areas. She smiled.

"So what do you want me to sing?" I asked as she took off those _amazing_ glasses and set them aside.

"I don't care. Anything. Hang on." She snuggled further into the blanket in an attempt at finding warmth. When she couldn't find any, she turned to look at me with a mischievous glint in her eye. I sighed and turned on my side, letting her push her body back against mine. My arm rested gingerly on her waist, and I leaned uncomfortably away from her shoulder and back, trying to avoid her injured areas.

"I'm not going to break, Rachel."

"But you could!" I said, being just slightly dramatic.

"No, I couldn't. Now, to use Santana's words: 'cuddle me bitch.'" Gingerly I inched forward until my front touched her back, but she didn't hiss or spring away. My body relaxed a bit.

"And you're sure it doesn't hurt?"

"Yes, I'm sure, and no, it doesn't hurt."

"Well, if you're positive… Now, what was I doing? Oh yes. Song." I remembered one I had heard on Pandora the other day and smiled a little at my inner genius. Softly I hummed the lilting opening melody, before I gently sang the words into the air above Quinn's head.

_The slightest words you said  
Have all gone to my head  
I hear angels sing in your voice  
When you pull me close  
Feelings I've never known  
They mean everything  
And leave me no choice_

_Light on my heart, light on my feet_  
_Light in your eyes I can't even speak_  
_Do you even know how you make me weak_

_I'm a lightweight_  
_Better be careful what you say_  
_With every word I'm blown away_  
_You're in control of my heart_  
_I'm a lightweight_  
_Easy to fall, easy to break_  
_With every move my whole world shakes_  
_Keep me from falling apart_

_Make a promise, please_  
_You'll always be in reach_  
_Just in case I need_  
_You're there when I call_  
_This is all so new_  
_Seems too good to be true_  
_Could this really be_  
_A safe place to fall_

_Light on my heart, light on my feet_  
_Light in your eyes I can't even speak_  
_Do you even know how you make me weak, oh whoa?_

_I'm a lightweight_  
_Better be careful what you say_  
_With every word I'm blown away_  
_You're in control of my heart_  
_I'm a lightweight_  
_Easy to fall, easy to break_  
_With every move my whole world shakes_  
_Keep me from falling apart_  
_Keep me from falling down_

_Drowned in your love_  
_It's almost all too much_  
_Handle with care_  
_Say you'll be there_

_Oh, I'm a lightweight_  
_Better be careful what you say_  
_With every word I'm blown away_  
_You're in control of my heart_  
_I'm a lightweight_  
_Easy to fall, easy to break_  
_With every move my whole world shakes_  
_Keep me from falling apart_  
_Keep me from falling apart_  
_Keep me from falling apart, oh_  
_Falling apart_

"Shank yew…" The girl in my arms mumbled, sleepily and almost indecipherably. I gently kissed her hair, and let my head rest against hers for a moment.

"Good night Beautiful." I whispered. I had thought that Quinn was asleep, but at my words she interlaced our fingers and squeezed my hand lightly.

And it's only Tuesday.

**A/N: Two updates in one day! What nowwwww! Haha sorry. Just a tad hyper because my dad and I actually spent an evening ****_not_**** hating each other, which is a rare and precious occurrence, especially as I don't see him much anymore… Anyway! Enough of my personal life! What did you guys think of the chapter? This was a significantly more cheerful and on track chapter than I wrote a few hours ago, so I'm satisfied with it. So what is the verdict? Read and Review please! BTW, if you have the time to favorite or follow, it would be awesome if you took the extra, like, 5 seconds and say something in a review… Just sayin'. Even if it's a smiley face or something like that… I kind of live on reviews. Not really. That would be sorta weird. Hmm… Review insertion through IV… weird. But reviews do make me grin broadly 99.99% of the time. But I don't want to be pushy, so yeah thanks for reading! Peace out. :)**

**PS: Another update should be up sometime tomorrow.**

**PPS: Oh yeah and the song was Lightweight by Demi Lovato. I actually fell in love with the idea of Rachel singing a lot of the Demi songs from her newish album 'Unbroken' before she sang 'Give Your Heart a Break' on canon Season 4. MY IDEA. Roar.  
**

**PPPS (yeah sorry): To anyone who has seen the latest season 4 episode, a note: in this story and in my head, Brittana will never ever ever ever ever never ever in a million years never everrrr break up. OTC!  
**


	19. I Took a Walk Around the World

I ain't no Ryan Murphyyyy.

Chapter 19

**QPOV**

My eyes opened slowly, and I blinked lazily in order to adjust to the light. A fog of sleep still covering my brain, I wondered why I had gotten up. As my senses started working and functioning, an annoying _bleep_ing reached my ears. The sound startled me out of my daze, and I reached over Rachel to slap at the offending alarm clock. My arm stretched a little too far, though, and pain ripped through my back. I fell halfway on top of the other girl with a small _oof,_ and I stayed this way for a minute waiting for the throbbing to subside. A large head of brown hair rose to fill my vision. Partly-opened eyes looked at me with concern.

"You okay?" Rachel asked in a gravelly half-asleep voice. I nodded, my lips pressed together in an attempt not to make some sort of face. The eyes widened, as she realized that I was in significant pain.

"Are you really okay?"

"I will be in a minute." I forced the words out. The brunette nodded, but the concern did not seem to lessen any. After my back stopped feeling like it was being stabbed repeatedly with a blunt knife, I laid back against the mattress again. Shifting my head to the side I squinted at the alarm clock but couldn't make out the time.

"What time is it?" I asked Rachel.

"7." She said, reaching over and grabbing my glasses for me anyway.

"Thanks." I mumbled, sitting up and swinging my legs off the edge of the bed. A thought popped into my head suddenly that I could not shake off.

"Hey Rach?"

"Mmhmm?" She responded.

"Is all this," I motioned between the two of us, "normal for friends?" I turned to see a pained look cross her face, before it was covered up with a decidedly mirthful one. Her smile just didn't seem to reach her eyes though…

"Well, I'm not quite sure. I've never really been considered normal, nor have I ever really had normal friends, so I wouldn't know. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure either. I didn't have any friends in elementary school and junior high, and then whenever Britt and San and I would hang out it would usually end up with them making out…" She shrugged and rolled up to a sitting position as well.

"Then we should make our own 'normal.'" I smiled. That was a novel and intriguing idea. My life had been based around what other people told me to do, so making my own rules never seemed to be an option.

"Okay. Awesome." I stood up and shook my head a little to get my hair to sit right. I was still not used to having so little of it, and it was unnerving to not have the high pony I had grown accustomed to wearing all the time. Reaching my arms up gingerly, I stretched, making sure not to do anything that would aggravate my back. Looking back towards the bed, I noticed Rachel staring at me with a curious expression. I dropped my arms back to my sides.

"What?"

"Your hair."

"What about it?"

"It makes you look a bit like a lion." This caused me to double over laughing. The things this girl says…

"So I have now graduated from being a knight to being a lion?" Rachel nodded rapidly like a little kid and I chuckled again, grabbing my bag and heading towards the bathroom.

Life may throw at me whatever the hell it wants. I don't care about any of it. But I have Rachel. And I do care about her. So take that, Life.

* * *

Who knew walking down a hall could be so difficult? I had done it a million times before, but for some reason now it was much, much harder. Ignoring the stares and whispers of the student body around me, I kept my chin up and my head high as I strutted down the hall towards the office of one Sue Sylvester. Kicking the door open, I dropped the box with my clean uniform on the desk in front of the evil woman. I turned to leave, but her voice, which was surprisingly not harsh, stopped me.

"Quinn." I stopped moving towards the door, but did not respond. "Don't think that I didn't see why you fell." I was struck dumb. I spun on my heel to stare at her.

"What?"

"Oh, come on Q. You of all people should know that I don't miss anything. I didn't miss a twitch in your leg last year; I definitely wouldn't miss the clumsy attempts of a girl with a lot less finesse to shove you off the top of the pyramid."

"So what are you going to do about it?" I asked, curious as to the punishment Lauren would receive.

"I'm going to make Lauren head Cheerio." She said in a matter-of-fact manner, picking up the box with my uniform and stowing it beneath her desk.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Yes I heard you, but _why?_ That's exactly what she wants!" Sue eyed me appraisingly.

"It may be what she wants, but she won't be able to handle it. My methods are not preventing things before they happen; I break people's spirit until they no longer have the will power to go for what they want. I'll give her about a week before she breaks. What do you think?" I thought over what Sue was saying, and it made sense. I shrugged and smirked.

"I'd give her five days." Suddenly a question formed in my mind. "So when she breaks will I be head Cheerio again?"

"No." I gaped at the cheerleading coach, not expecting that one-word answer.

"But- but why?" I spluttered.

"That isn't why I kicked you off."

"Well then why did you kick me off?"

"I told you already. You missed practice on Monday."

"So what? You and I both know that I'm one of the only girls in this school that can handle being captain! The squad will suffer without me!" Sue set her pen down and looked up at me.

"And you will thrive without the squad."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She sighed and shook her head, the way she does when she is doing something for the good of someone else and it troubles her.

"Quinn, in the 3 years you have been at this school and on the Cheerios, you have only ever missed a practice when you were carrying that spawn of Puckerman-"

"Don't talk about my baby that way." I said in a dangerously low voice. Coach held up her hands, showing she didn't want an argument.

"Anyway. If you missed practice, obviously something happened as big as, if not bigger than, your pregnancy – and no way will you be able to deal with whatever that was while still tied to the Cheerios. Look at you; you're a mess after just one day of being off the squad."

"Of course I'm a mess! You really don't realize how much Cheerios meant to me!" I yelled, enraged at the ignorance of this woman.

"It made you popular." She replied levelly.

"I don't care about some _stupid_ popularity contest! Cheerleading was so much more than that! It was something to fall back on when there was nothing else!" Sue nodded, and shivered a little in disgust about what she was about to say.

"And what was there when you didn't have the Cheerios?"

"Nothing! That's the point!" She arched an eyebrow at me, uncannily similar to my very own trademark eyebrow-raise.

"Well I guess there was Glee…"

"You don't give Schuester and his hair-elves enough credit." She suddenly started coughing and retching. "Oh my Madonna I cannot believe I just said that." Sue motioned at the door, looking slightly green. "Go. Don't make me say any more sappy and sickly things about Schuester and his pathetic _Glee Club._ Just don't come back here until you have figured everything out."

As I stepped into the hall again the conversation ran through my head again. What and how was I supposed to figure out?

**RPOV**

I was standing at my locker, waiting for Quinn to come back out of Coach Sylvester's office when Brittany walked up to me.

"Hey Brittany."

"Hey Rach! Where's Quinn?"

"Talking to Sue." Brittany nodded sagely.

"Yeah, she had a really bad fall yesterday in practice. Is she okay?"

"She has some bad bruising, but no broken bones." The tall blonde smiled but shook her head.

"No, I meant is she okay up here," She pointed to her head, "and here." She pointed to her heart. "Even Quinn can't run two and a half miles with a broken bone without at least, like, falling over or passing out or something."

"Sue kicked her off the Cheerios afterwards, and she didn't really handle it well." I tried to change the subject, and noticed the lack of a Latina attached at the hip with Brittany. "Where's Santana?" Brittany frowned.

"San got a call from Quinn yesterday at around 7, and then she left and I haven't seen her since. Do you know if anything else happened?" I hesitated for a moment. Would Quinn want me to tell Brittany what happened? But they have been friends much longer anyway…

"Quinn ran away." Brittany squinted in confusion.

"But she's in Sue's office…"

"No, I mean she ran away from home." Realization lit up the ditzy blonde's face, and she didn't seem perturbed by this new development.

"Oh! Okay then." She linked her arm with mine, and tugged me down the hall in the general direction of Sylvester's office.

"Is that not… strange?" Brittany shrugged.

"Knowing Quinn, she probably just got a piercing or a tattoo or did something with her hair and will go home after a little while." I frowned. Is this how repetitive Quinn's life gets? "What does perturb me, though, is where Santana went. She usually shows up around the time Quinn does. But, since Quinn went to you, I'm not sure where San went." She knows what perturb means? Huh.

We got to outside of Sylvester's office and could see through the window the two blondes looking angrily at each other and having a heated exchange of words. Brittany sighed and walked over to a blank swatch of lockers, leaning against them to stare at the passerby in the hall. I leaned against the lockers as well, and the blonde cheerleader's head dropped onto my shoulder.

We people-watched for several minutes, until the equivalent of a seismic wave rippled through the student body. Peering around the corner, we found an interesting sight a ways down the hall. A very angry yet smug Latina cheerleader was standing in front of another blonde one, whom I didn't recognize but was covered in red ice, with an empty slushy cup in one hand and a full one in the other. She brushed past the shocked, slushy-covered Cheerio and marched up to Finn, who was standing about 10 feet away with a dopey, surprised look on his face. Santana smirked and threw the full slushy cup into the football player's face, grinning with delight as he freaked out and ran down the hall to the bathroom. Walking up to the two of us, she ran her index finger around the inside lip of one of the cups. Licking the small bit of red syrup off her finger, Santana giggled, slightly maniacally.

"Revenge is very sweet." She said. The door to Sue Sylvester's office opened, and Quinn walked out, taking in the blonde cheerleader covered in slushy, Finn running down the hall, and Santana standing near us with a grin and two empty slushy cups. She walked up to us and addressed her Latina friend.

"Subtlety? Not your thing." She said, adopting an almost identical grin to Santana's. The other girl shrugged and shoved the empty cups at a passing freshman, whose eyes widened at having contact with the frightening second-in-command HBIC. The nerdy-looking boy bowed and scraped as he scurried away, and I started to wonder what kind of crazy power trip could have invented the WMHS social hierarchy.

"I like your hair, Q." Quinn smiled.

"Thanks Britt. It just seemed like time for a change."

"How did it go with Sue?" I asked, wondering how the argument we saw ended up. Quinn stepped up to the lockers on the other side of me and wrapped her arm around my waist.

"It was… interesting. Maybe I'll tell you later. For now my main priority is getting through the day." I nodded in understanding. The bell rang signaling 5 minutes until class, and I grabbed Quinn's hand pulling her towards her class as Brittany and Santana dispersed. Quinn remained rooted to the spot, however, and wouldn't move.

"Where are you going?"

"This is the direction of your class, right?"

"Yes…"

"Ah, I see the problem. Well, honestly, I have more influence at the moment than you do, and I need to make sure you don't get pushed around." Her face became sullen, but she started walking along with me.

"Aww come on, don't feel bad about it. I happen to have the four most powerful people in school protecting me, so it isn't like I'm suddenly noticed by everybody for no particular reason or anything."

"Four? I thought you just said that you have more influence than I do right now." She inquired.

"Oh yeah. I wasn't talking about you. Yesterday during football practice Sam punched Finn in the face kind of because of me." Quinn's eyes widened almost comically, and her mouth hung open a bit in surprise.

"Sam as in-"

"Yes, that Sam." The girl remained quiet for a few moments.

"Wow."

"I know, right?"

"That's…"

"Yeah."

"Why?" I shrugged in response. We walked in silence for a few seconds, before a word tumbled out of my mouth.

"Polyurethane." Quinn looked at me like I was crazy, which I probably was. I shrugged again and grinned. "I was tired of monosyllabic words."

"So weird." The blonde muttered as she shook her head.

"I prefer the term _atypical_." She snorted and shook her head again. We got to the math classroom, and I squeezed her hand once before letting go and turning to walk to the science lab.

My teacher gave me an incredulous look as I ran into the classroom right as the bell rang. Usually I considered being on time as being late, which was why I freaked out so much when I had missed the entire first period on Monday. The only one in the classroom that seemed to not be surprised by my entry was Noah, who just raised his hand for a fist bump. When the teacher and class continued to stare at me after I had made my way to my seat, I adopted my best insolent and indifferent expression.

"What." I said it as more of a statement than a question, and this seemed to snap everyone out of their reverie. Noah leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Careful, your badassness is showing." I pushed him in the shoulder.

"Whatever."

I spent most of first period dreading second period, as there would be nobody between Finn and me.

However, when I walked into class and sat in my assigned seat next to him, he didn't react any. The rest of the class passed pretty much exactly like this, which I considered a blessing. At no point did Finn even glance at me, but I remained on edge for the entire hour and a half, checking every 5 minutes to make sure he wasn't suddenly staring creepily at me or something equally undesirable. When the bell rang at the end, Finn was the first one out the door, never casting a glance behind him. Had we really been successful in scaring him off? No, it couldn't be… Finn is much too stubborn to give up that easily. Most likely he is trying to figure out a way to get back at me or get me back; either one is probable.

I packed up my things and walked to the auditorium, still absorbed in my musings about Finn. If I was a bit more aware of my surroundings, I would have realized that the flow of students towards the cafeteria was parting to allow me through. This was a highly unusual occurrence, as the best way to go against the current in the river of the WMHS student body was to wait until everyone passed and then go wherever. Otherwise, someone of a lesser status than the jocks and Cheerios would be swept away or trampled by the hundreds of people clamoring towards food. My status really had risen, and I wasn't even around one of my four protectors at the moment.

I pushed open the auditorium door to find Quinn and Puck sitting on the edge of the stage. They were talking in low voices, and I involuntarily paused, listening.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"No, you _were_ there for me. You were there for me when nobody else was. You spent nine months making up for one mistake, and I still never forgave you. But I do now. I realize it was just as much my mistake as yours, and that you did the best you could."

"I could have done more, I could have-"

"You couldn't have. We were teenagers. We still are. There was nothing more you could have done. And we ended up fine, so there's nothing left to blame. Don't beat yourself up any more."

"…ok."

I chose this moment to make my appearance.

"So are we all one big happy family now?" Quinn glared at me.

"It's rude to eavesdrop." I hopped up to sit beside her, and leaned against her. She tried to remain stiff and unmoving, but eventually relaxed.

"I'm losing my touch." The blonde muttered.

"Nope!" I popped the 'p' cheekily. "It's just impossible for you to stay mad at me now."

"So sorry interrupt this sap fest, but shouldn't we be practicing?" Puck inquired, and I hopped to my feet.

"Yes, of course! I'm so excited for our performance tomorrow!" I clapped my hands together and grabbed an acoustic guitar from one of the stands back stage, handing it to Noah. Reaching down, I pulled Quinn to her feet, and Noah started strumming the opening chords.

"I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind…"

**A/N: So I suppose this might be counted as kind of a filler chapter? I really try not to write those, but nothing extremely significant happened in this one… Anyway read and review please. If you want to. There probably won't be another update for another week. BTW I know the title sucks but I had about zero inspiration. Peace out. :)**


	20. Some Nights

I doezn't owns Glee.

Chapter 20

**RPOV**

I pushed the classroom door open and held it for Quinn, stepping out after her and relishing in the freedom of being released from school, even if only for one day.

"Should we go? There isn't really a reason to stay anymore." Quinn adopted a troubled look for a moment, but slapped a neutral mask on instantly. I considered her question. There really isn't a reason to stay, seeing as we don't have Glee today and Quinn isn't on the Cheerios, but something inside me said to wait for a few minutes.

"Can we stick around for a little bit? I don't know why, but I feel like we should." She shrugged and stuck her hands in her pockets, jauntily back and forth in front of my locker.

"I kind of feel that too." She said after a couple steps.

I nodded and opened my mouth to say something, but suddenly the sound of an electrical guitar echoed through the empty school. Grinning, I grabbed Quinn's hand and tugged her towards the auditorium.

"What is going on?" She asked, having to run to stay with me.

"Oh come on, you're in Glee and you can't recognize the start of a song?" Shaking her head and smiling, she followed me through the auditorium doors. Noah stood on the stage with the guitar we had heard, and coming from the various other entrances were Kurt, Mercedes, Santana, Brittany, Mike, Tina, and Artie. Noah shouted out the first few lyrics to the song, and the rest of us joined in.

_Some nights I stay up casting in my bad luck_

_Some nights I call it a draw_

_Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle_

_Some nights I wish they'd just fall off_

_But I still wake up_

_I still see your ghost_

_Oh Lord I'm still not sure what I stand for_

_Ohh_

The rest of us started harmonizing in the background, as Noah sang the end of the chorus.

_What do I stand for?_

_What do I stand for?_

_Most nights_

_I don't know_

_Anymore_

The guys separated from us girls and formed a military-esque formation, dancing around Noah as he sang.

_This is it, boys, this is war_

_What are we waiting for? _

_Why don't we break the rules already?_

_I was never one to believe the hype_

_Save that for the black and white_

_Tried twice as hard and I'm half as liked but here they come again_

_To jack my style_

We all echoed the next few lines where needed.

_That's alright (that's alright)_

_Found a martyr in my bed tonight_

_Stops my bones from wondering _

_Just who I am, who I, who I am, oh who am I_

The band picked up again and the words were shouted and echoed again, this time by all of us.

_Well some nights I wish that this all would end_

_Cause I could use some friends for a change_

_And some nights I wish you'd forget me again_

_Some nights I always win (I always win)_

_But I still wake up _

_I still see your ghost _

_Oh Lord I'm still not sure_

_What I stand for _

_Ohh_

_What do I stand for?_

_What do I stand for?_

_What do I stand for?_

_Most nights_

_I don't know_

The group backed off a bit and simply harmonized in the background as Mike and Noah started an exchange of words in the bridge.

_So this is it?_

_I sold my soul for this? _

_Washed my hands of that for this?_

_I miss my mom and dad for this?_

_No, when I see stars, _

_When I see stars that's all they are_

_And when I hear songs,_

_They sound like this one so come on _

Mike started the sequence of notes

_So come on _

Sam continued, slightly higher on the scale.

_Oh come on_

Kurt used his tremulous high alto.

_Oh come on! _

Mercedes belted out the last night, and Noah resumed the verse.

_That is it guys_

_That is all_

_Five minutes in and I'm bored again_

_Ten years of this I'm not sure if anybody understands_

_This one is not for the folks back home_

_I'm sorry to leave Mom,_

_I had to go_

_Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?_

Everybody nodded in affirmation at this line, and Noah's voice dropped to a lilting trickle of words. He locked eyes with Quinn, who was standing beside me, and they shared a moment.

_My heart's breaking for my sister_

_And the con that she called love_

_But when I look into my nephew's eyes_

_Man you won't believe_

_The most amazing things_

_That can come from_

_Some terrible lies_

We all contributed to the last verse, and finished the song off together.

_The other night_

_You wouldn't believe _

_The dream I just had about you and me_

_I called you up and we both agreed_

_It's for the best you didn't listen_

_It's for the best we get our distance_

_It's for the best you didn't listen_

_It's for the best we get our distance_

We all broke into laughter and entered a sort-of group hug. I missed this. It has been ages since we had done what we did best: sing for the sake of singing. It was either for a competition that we sang, an assignment from Mr. Schue, or, occasionally, just to let out emotions. But we hadn't had one of our impromptu concerts involving us all since "Sing", and even that was kind of for an assignment. When we sang like this, all together and without animosity, we really were a family. Sure, Glee is a very dysfunctional family, but aren't they all? We started gravitating apart and towards the various exits, but an idea sprang into my head.

"Hey guys, wait!" I yelled, causing all heads to turn towards me. "Party next Friday!"

I received identical gob smacked looks from the members of the Glee Club, but Puck, Quinn, and Santana all let out loud whoops, and the rest of the singers followed. Santana jogged over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, walking towards the door that Quinn and I had entered through.

"So what spurred that decision, Berry?" I shrugged.

"I just miss us all being together. Plus, the last party we had was so much _fun_!" Santana smirked and shook her head a bit at my excitement.

"Do you even know how to throw a decent party?" I thought about this for a moment, before letting out a sigh of resignation.

"No…" Santana adopted a smug expression.

"Never fear, Aunty Tana is here! I'm telling you Berry, once I'm through with it this party will be talked about until we graduate." I raised an eyebrow and stared at the Latina.

"Don't worry, I won't do many illegal things." I whacked the girl in the arm, and she laughed.

"Fine, fine, I won't do anything illegal other than get the alcohol. Or maybe I should get Puck to get the booze…"

"Santana Lopez!" I cried.

"Rachel Berry!" She cried back mockingly. I adopted my best pout and huffed, crossing my arms in front of my chest. We walked down the hall in silence for several minutes before I risked a glance to the girl walking beside me. Chuckling a bit internally at her line of sight, I cleared my throat.

"My eyes are up here." I said, restraining my laughter. Santana's head snapped up and saw that I had noticed. She blushed slightly, before looking defensive.

"What? I may be taken, but I'm still human. Besides, if you don't want me looking then don't cross your arms like that." I smirked and shrugged her arm off my shoulders, spinning and skipping backwards down the hall.

"Shall we tell Brittany? I'm certain she would be _most_ intrigued." Santana panicked and ran towards me, looking like she was going in for a football-style tackle.

"No! I am not letting you do that Berry!"

"Aw, afraid she'll be jealous?" The Latina stopped and gave me a puzzled look.

"No. She won't be jealous. She'll think that is an invitation for a threesome." The color drained out of my face, and my eyes widened.

It was now Santana's turn to smirk and walk backwards towards the auditorium. "How about we tell _Quinn_? She _will_ be jealous." She covered her mouth with her hand as if she wasn't supposed to say that. A mischievous glint in her eye gave her away, though, and it was obvious she didn't regret it.

"Oops, she might not like me saying that. Let's go ask!" She turned and started walking once again towards the auditorium.

I ran after the Latina and really did go in for the tackle, and we both fell to the ground. At that moment, the door next to us opened, and a pair of blondes walked out to see of us lying more or less on top of each other. Quinn's eyes narrowed, but Brittany's widened and she clapped excitedly, much like I had earlier when thinking about our performance tomorrow in Glee.

"Do we get sexy-times now?" She asked, curious. I sprang back from Santana, who sat up and was shaking with laughter.

"Nooooooo Britt, no sexy-times!" I rushed out, feeling my ears burn with embarrassment. I looked to Quinn for help, but she was also laughing, much like Santana. Throwing a glare at her, I turned back to Brittany, who was looking at me with an innocent and questioning face. I stood up and dusted myself off, getting floor-crud off my clothes. Feigning haughtiness, I spun on my heel.

"I'm leaving now. Quinn, you coming?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Not yet." Santana said, not-so-quietly. Quinn, who had indeed joined me, glared at her precocious friend.

"Perv." The tan girl responded with the sound of a whip cracking. I giggled a little and turned back towards the door, but one more glance in my periphery showed Quinn flipping Santana off. I grabbed the sleeve of her t-shirt and pulled her towards the door.

"Why do you two bicker so much?" I asked once we had made it out into the parking lot. The blonde shrugged, scratching her head in what seemed like deep thought.

"It's how our friendship works. We would get bored if we didn't have equally bitchy personalities." I contemplated this sentiment for a few moments, before shaking my head.

"You both have equally bitchy personas, not personalities. Inside you two are just big fuzz balls." A light eyebrow raised at my description of the two HBICs. I grinned and opened the passenger side car door. "And that's just how it is. M'lady?" I motioned with my hand for her to get in the car. Once she got in, I shut the door and ran around to the other side, slipping into the driver's side and turning the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life in that satisfying way it does every time I start this car.

"Yay fire!" I exclaimed, raising my hands over my head in a cheer.

"Erm…" A murmur from the passenger side made me smile and turn towards Quinn. She was giving me that same old "What the fuck?" look that I was used to getting from my dads.

"Pyromaniac? Should I be scared?" I grinned at her analysis of my actions, and shook my head.

"Not unless you make me mad." My grin changed to look maniacal, and Quinn's eyes widened and looked more than a bit frightened. I immediately dropped the freaky-horror-film-serial-killer face and tried to reassure her of my sanity.

…

"I wasn't serious!" I was still trying to assuage her concerns after 5 minutes of driving.

"Surrreee you weren't. We aren't letting you anywhere near matches. Or a stove. Or a cig- holy crap what you could do with a cigarette lighter!" Now I wasn't the one acting like a madwoman. I settled back in the driver's seat and focused on the road, letting Quinn rant the entire way to our destination. Because of this, when we got there, she immediately hopped out of the car, not realizing where she was. I got out to follow her, wondering what her reaction would be.

"And then your fathers would kill me for letting you burn the… holy shit." She concluded. My sentiments exactly, but for entirely different reasons. The Fabray mansion was _huge_! How could just one family live here? I turned to see a panicked expression on Quinn's face, and the next moment she was opening the passenger side door and getting back in the car.

"I'm not going in there. Why did you bring me here?" I walked over and spoke through the open passenger side window.

"Quinn, this is your home."

"No, it's not! I ran away, remember?"

"And you can't do that and get away with it."

"Why not? Tons of people do it every day."

"If they all jumped off a cliff, would you?" Quinn glared at me with a look that could curdle milk.

"Did you really just say that? And for your information, yes, I would. If so many people jumped off the cliff, there should be at least one person with enough logic to see why it would be a good choice." I shook my head at this reasoning.

"You can't just run away from home."

"Yes, I can and I did! I really don't want to deal with this right now."

"Then when will you deal with it? Last night we agreed to deal with it today, now deal with it!"

"I can't. Now can we please leave?" I sighed and stood back, and Quinn looked pleased with herself for changing my mind. Ah, no, my mind has not changed at all…

I walked around the front of the car, but then continued, striding up the walkway to the front door of the mansion. Quinn saw me and immediately jumped out of the car and sprinted towards me. I had already reached the door, however, and rang the doorbell, which sounded loud and clear throughout the house. Quinn reached me right as my finger left the button, and stopped just short of crashing into me.

"Shit…" She mumbled under her breath, but the blonde ex-cheerleader stayed awkwardly standing on the front patio of her house. A figure with platinum blonde hair could be seen making its way to the door through the frosted glass insets in the mahogany. The door swung open to reveal a red-eyed, tipsy, middle-aged, distressed-looking woman that I assumed was Judy Fabray. I vaguely remember Quinn's mother from Regionals last year, but this woman was in a much sorrier state than the one I saw that day.

"Miss Fabray?"

"Who are you?" She asked bluntly, not noticing Quinn, who was standing off to the side, away from this woman's line of sight.

"I'm Rachel Berry. I know your daughter?" Tears filled Judy's eyes, and she had a mini emotional breakdown in front of me.

"You know my Quinnie? Where is she? Is she safe? She's left before, but always come back the next day. Where is she?" My face grim and set, I reached over and grabbed Quinn's arm, dragging her in front of me. She looked down at the floor uncomfortably, flinching when her mother grabbed her in a lopsided hug.

"Where have you been? What happened to your hair? I was so worried about you!" Quinn extracted herself forcefully from her mother, who wore a rather shocked expression.

"No you weren't." The girl said flatly. Judy looked slightly taken aback at this statement from her daughter.

"Yes I was! How could you say something like that?" Quinn shrugged.

"I've run away in the past and you didn't give a damn about what happened to me. Anyway, you were probably too drunk to remember you had a daughter."

"Quinn!" I exclaimed, wondering what terrible things could have happened to evoke such bitterness in the girl that I know can be extremely caring.

"What? It's true." She turned to her mother. "Do you deny it?"

"Of course I d-deny… wait what does deny mean again?" I noticed the woman's words slurring together more, and she had a confused manner as she tried to make sense of what we were saying.

"Case in point." Quinn made a theatrical flourish of her hand towards her mother, before huffing, spinning on her heel, and walking back towards the car. It was a storm out that even I would find respectable.

"Quinn, you're not leaving." I said, using my most authoritative tone.

"Yes I am."

"No, you're not. You are going to walk back here and speak civilly to your mother." I felt like I was talking to a small child who had sat down on the ground in stubborn protest and would not walk any more.

"No! I don't want to speak civilly to her! She doesn't deserve it!"

"Every human being deserves that much respect!"

"We have different opinions of respect."

"Well then yours is just screwed up." I smirked a little, before continuing. "I have the keys anyway. You can't go anywhere."

The blonde girl did not say a word, but instead turned around and headed down the driveway, turning onto the sidewalk once she got to the end.

"Where are you going?" I shouted, leaving Judy Fabray sitting on the floor and leaning against the door frame, to jog over to the fence around the Fabrays' front yard.

"I don't know. Away."

"You can't just run away whenever something happens that you don't like!" Quinn continued walking, and I paralleled her behind the fence.

"I'm not going back into that house. You can't make me."

"I never said you had to!" The blonde stopped and turned to me, confused and doubtful.

"What do you mean?"

"I just said you had to _talk_ to your mother! Nobody ever said anything about making you stay there again right now!" Crisis somewhat-averted, I tried to calm my voice. "I'm not telling you to somehow forgive your mother and have everything be rainbows and sunshine. The world doesn't work that way. But it is a good idea for her to know where you are and for you two to talk about some of the issues present here. Can you do that?"

Quinn looked doubtful, but eventually shrugged and started walking back up the sidewalk to the driveway. I breathed a sigh of relief. The other girl rounded the corner and we both trudged up the hill of a yard to where Judy was still collapsed in a puddle on the floor, using the door frame as support. She looked up at her daughter with red and bloodshot eyes that were seeking forgiveness for the past, but Quinn stared back with a hardened expression, devoid of warmth or emotion.

"Let's get one thing straight. I'm not coming back if you're drinking. Period, end of story. So either get help, or don't expect to see me around." Judy nodded and shakily stood up, still using the door frame to support most of her weight.

"Second thing. You will not run this house the way Da-" Quinn's voice faltered for a moment. "Russell did. You are not him, and I am not the same daughter I was last year." The girl stopped for a moment, trying to think of any other requirements that Judy must meet, but I cut off her train of thought with my own requirement.

"Third thing. You will never, _ever_ treat Quinn like you did before. If you insult her, or hurt her, or do _anything_ to make her feel like shit like you did before, I will get her emancipated faster than you can say 'Lucy Caboosey.'" Quinn flinched at my use of the nickname, and I place a hand on her arm in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. Judy peered at me, as if seeing me for the first time.

"Rachel Berry… Are you the daughter of-"

"Hiram and Leroy Berry? The only married gay couple in Lima? Yes." Quinn tensed beside me, stepping forward slightly in a protective stance. Judy nodded stiffly, and focused back on Quinn.

"Okay then. So, Quinnie are you coming inside now?" The blonde girl turned to fix me with a frightened and somewhat accusatory stare.

"I thought you said that I didn't have to-"

"You don't." I assured her, moving around Quinn and towards Judy with my best determined attitude.

"This is Quinn's home. I realize that, and I'm guessing that she realizes that also. However, I have talked to my fathers, and they agree with me that until some things change around here, this is not a safe home environment for a sixteen year old. Get help, and we'll come back in a couple of weeks to see how you are doing. Quinn does need to be here, but she shouldn't be here when the situation is as it is now. Thank you for your time, and I hope that you can fix your life so that you can have a healthy relationship with your daughter. Goodbye." I turned around and walked back toward the car.

"Uh, yeah… what she said." Quinn said to her mother, before scrambling down the driveway after me.

Once we had been on the road for a couple minutes, Quinn broke the silence.

"When did you talk to your dads about me?" I chuckled a little.

"This morning. Believe it or not, you're not around me during every single second of the day." She scrunched up her nose in a very adorable way and mock-pouted.

"Man! I thought I was like your paparazzo-stalker or something."

"That would be good preparation for the future. But even paparazzo-stalkers take showers, right? Although going by Jacob Ben Israel I'm not so sure." Quinn snorted and grinned at my shudder of disgust.

"By the way, I never figure out why you kept him from running the story about my pregnancy last year."

"I- erm- well, you see- it, uh, seemed like the right thing to do, I suppose." Quinn smirked.

"Mmhmm. Surrreee."

"Whatever. Screw you." I said grumpily, flipping her off and ignoring the squawk of indignation that was emitted from the right side of the car.

I turned into the driveway of my house and shut off the engine in my car, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Why does it seem like every day this week has been laden with all sorts of shit happening?" I shook my head, having been thinking the same thing moments earlier.

"No clue. Ugh, Friday seems like forever ago." I laughed a little. "Remember when you hated me?"

"It wasn't even a week ago but I can't remember what it felt like…" The corners of my lips quirked up a bit as I reminisced over the changes of the past few days. I opened the driver's side door and stepped out onto the cement ground.

"I suppose that's a good thing." I said as we walked up to the door. It swung open to reveal Daddy standing with an expectant expression and slightly frazzled hair which seemed to have been yanked at in nervousness.

"How did it go?" He asked with restrained anxiety.

"Not much better than expected, but it also wasn't much worse." I responded. "Judy agreed to try and get help, but Quinn is stills staying with us for now." The blonde in question looked between my Daddy and me with an incredulous face.

"So you both knew about this?" She asked.

"We came up with the idea together." Quinn scoffed and shook her head.

"I should've known…" She mumbled almost inaudibly. I slipped my hand into hers and squeezed it, before pulling her into the house and up the stairs.

"Tell me if you girls need anything!" Daddy called up the stairs.

"Thanks Daddy!" I responded.

* * *

The rest of that evening passed in a blur of exhaustion. The only thing I remember clearly is Quinn and me falling asleep at 9:30, as we were completely drained from the day. Since when had life become so utterly tiring?

**A/N: Hey peeps. Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I had all sorts of shit to do so I was gone from noon to midnight and only had about an hour and a half in a Starbucks around midafternoon to write. But I finished it this morning! Yay! And it's freaking 4000 something words! Just a general question: do you guys like shorter chapters or longer chapters? So this chapter was basically just about Quinn and her mom problems. Umm so yeah! Read and Review please! Peace out. :)**

**PS: The song was Some Nights by Fun.  
**


	21. Who?

Glee is not mine, unfortunately.

Chapter 21

**RPOV**

The next morning I strode into William McKinley High School with purpose. I ditched Quinn by the car (politely, of course) and hurried into the school, looking for another blonde by the jock block lockers.

"Hello there Sam!" I greeted with a chipper attitude. He turned with a confused look and a bruised cheekbone. A gasp escaped my lips and I involuntarily reached out to touch the black mark. He flinched away and looked even more confused.

"I'm sorry! How presumptuous of me! Here, I brought you some lip-balm. I know people make fun of your lips, but I think they're cute, and worth weatherproofing." The blonde boy's eyes narrowed at me.

"You aren't going to ask me out or something, are you?"

"What? Uh- no. I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?"

"For Tuesday. You didn't have to punch Finn. I'm grateful that you did though, even though you got suspended; which I am sorry for." He shrugged and turned back to put the lip-balm in his locker.

"Whatever. He was being an ass and deserved it."

"Still, it didn't have to be you that hit him. Puck was going to, and that would have been an irreparable mistake."

"I know that. That's why I stopped him from going at the douchebag." He turned back towards me and we stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Was that all you were going to say?"

"Yeah… So I guess I'll see you in Glee?"

"I guess. Erm, bye?"

"Yeah… bye." I turned and walked back towards the main hall, where Quinn was standing near my locker, watching people.

"How did it go?" She asked when she spotted me.

"Very awkwardly." I grumbled. The ex-Cheerio looked at something over my shoulder and waved a little. I turned in time to see Sam give a small wave back as he walked to homeroom. Jealousy started to shroud my mind, but I pushed it away. I have no right to be jealous. It's not like I have some sort of claim laid on Quinn. I sighed. Definitely no claim laid there…

* * *

Our day continued in the comfortable routine we had followed so far this week. First period with Noah, second period with Finn ignoring me, practice in the auditorium during lunch, and finally English with Quinn. Before I knew it, the time for Glee had arrived. I was just excited for our performance, but as I turned to Quinn, her pale face registered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She replied in a weak voice. "Just a little bit nervous." I scrunched my nose in confusion.

"Why?"

"This is the first song I'm singing with you and Puck together. Also, I'm not you Rachel. I'm not used to be in the spotlight when singing. It's just a bit nerve-wracking. Especially because you two are really good, and I'm… not." I frowned and beckoned Noah over from across the room. He came and sat on the other side of Quinn, also noting her pale face and panicked expression.

"What's up Jewbabe 'n Baby Mama?"

"Quinn's nervous."

"So you're nervous _now_, but not when 'trust me' was a supposed form of birth-control?" The girl in question glared at the mohawked-boy. If looks could kill. I chuckled and turned, swinging my legs over Quinn's lap so that my feet rested on Noah's left leg.

"And what makes you think that we are footrests, Miss Berry?" The blonde asked me with a smile.

"Because you don't mind."

"And you know this because…?" Noah questioned. I smirked and attempted my best impression of being smug.

"Because you two would do anything for me." The boy scoffed and turned to Quinn.

"I think she's got us figured out, Baby Mama."

"Darn adorable little strawberry." She said as she shook her head. Noah raised an eyebrow at the strawberry part of that sentence, but shrugged it off.

"So, now that we have that settled; Quinn, you are singing." I said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"And I wasn't before?"

"You were. But you aren't as nervous anymore." I leaned further into her side, ignoring the confused looks being thrown at us by the other members of Glee, who were entering the choir room now.

Small conversations continued until Mr. Schue burst into the room in an attempted theatrical entrance. Emphasis on the word _attempted._ He clapped his hands together and spun around, looking at the entire room.

"Okay! Who has their number ready?" I immediately raised my hand, and Noah did the same after looking at my eager demeanor. Grabbing Quinn's right hand with my left, I raised it as well. A few gaping mouths were directed at the three of us, but several knowing looks were also directed our way. And then there was Finn, who was sitting as far as possible from me, and glaring daggers at Quinn and Noah.

"You three… are working _together_?" Our wise teacher asked in astonishment.

"It would appear that way, yes Mr. Schuester." I deadpanned.

"B-but you- " He was cut off by Kurt's high, somewhat bored voice.

"Just give it up Mr. Schue. They're doing a number together, accept it. And close your mouth. You're catching flies." The curly-haired man's jaw snapped shut, and he stepped to the side, motioning for us to take the stage.

"Before we start, I would like to say a few words." I started off my short speech, but was cut off much like Mr. Schue; this time by Santana.

"Just sing the freaking song, Berry." A gentle hand tugged at my arm for me to join Quinn and Noah in a line. He grabbed his acoustic guitar, slung the strap over his head, and started plucking the first chords of the song. Quinn started singing, and she and Noah traded lines for the first verse.

_I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind_

_I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time_

_I watched the world flow to the dark side of the moon_

_I feel there's nothing I can do…_

Because of my dream, I was not used to not having the solo in any song that I was a part of performing. However, I looked at the two teens beside me and I knew that they needed this. I started harmonizing in the background as the music picked up, and started the choreography that we would all end up using during the chorus.

_I watched the world flow to the dark side of the moon_

_After all I knew it had to be something to do with you_

_I really don't mind_

_What happens now and then_

_As long you'll be my friend at the end_

Noah sang the first few words of each line, and Quinn and I joined in for the last few, enhancing the impact.

_If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman_

_If I'm alive and well will you be there a-holding my hand_

_I keep you by my side with my superhuman_

_My_

_Kryptonite_

Noah and Quinn backed off, and I let my voice fill the room. It was a strange feeling for me to be singing short, choppy lines, rather than the long and melodious ones of show tunes. In the last moment, I locked gaze with Quinn, and found myself singing them to her.

_You call me strong,_

_You call me weak,_

_But still your secrets I will keep_

_You took for granted all the times I never let you down_

_You stumbled in and bumped your head_

_If not for me then you'd be dead_

_I picked you up and put you_

_Back on solid ground_

The other two singers joined in for the chorus, and we all sang the lines together.

_If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman_

_If I'm alive and well will you be there a-holding my hand_

_I keep you by my side with my superhuman_

_My_

_Kryptonite_

Noah took off his acoustic instrument and set it to the side, and one of the members of the band played a solo on his electric guitar. Quinn caught my eyes like before as she prepared to softly sing the next words once the music died down.

_If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman_

_If I'm alive and well will you be there holding my hand_

_I keep you by my side with my superhuman_

_My_

_Kryptonite_

_Yeah!_

All three of us did a very rockstar-style jump towards our audience, and practically screamed the chorus again.

_If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman_

_If I'm alive and well will you be there a-holding my hand_

_I keep you by my side with my superhuman_

_My_

_Kryptonite_

We ended with huge grins on our faces, as we took in the mixed reaction from the other members of Glee club. Kurt, Santana, Brittany, and Sam were all looking at us with broad smiles and were applauding enthusiastically. Mike, Tina, Artie, and Mercedes were all staring slack-jawed as we clasped hands and bowed, but did not seem to be acting particularly negative. I then turned to Finn, whose eyes had now flamed in anger, and whose limbs were shaking from contained rage. After a few seconds, though, his jaw hardened and he seemed to tamp down the fire developing behind his eyes to a minimum. A voice from my right distracted me from my ex-boyfriend.

"Alright guys, that was great, but I don't really think you captured the essence of the-"

"Fuck you, Schue; that was amazing! Great job Q, Berry, Puckerman." Santana seemed to be getting in the habit of cutting people off today. And every other day.

"Why thank you Santana." I replied, heading back to my seat with Quinn and Noah in tow. Mr. Schue sighed and addressed the group again.

"Does anyone else have something?" Sam timidly raised his hand and glanced around nervously.

"Sam! Great! Come on up." The blonde boy walked to the front and picked up the guitar that Noah had set aside.

"I guess this song kind of just describes how the world is to me right now." He started playing a lively tune, and started singing after a few bars. I smiled at his choice. This used to be my favorite song…

_Well you done done me and you bet I felt it_

_I tried to beat you_

_But you so hot that I melted_

_I fell right through the cracks_

_Now I'm trying to get back_

Several of the other Glee club members in the back of the room harmonized in the background.

_Before the cool done run out _

_I'll be giving it my bestest _

_Nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention_

_I reckon it's again my turn_

_To win some or learn some_

_But I won't hesitate_

_No more_

_No more_

_It cannot wait_

_I'm yours_

_Mmhmm_

_Well open up your mind and see like me_

_Open up your plans and damn you're free_

_I look into your heart and you'll find love, love, love, love_

_Listen to the music of the moment people_

_Dance and sing!_

_We're just one big family_

_And it's our god-forsaken right to be loved_

_Loved, loved, loved, loved_

_So I won't hesitate_

_No more_

_No more_

_It cannot wait_

_I'm sure_

_There's no need to_

_Complicate_

_Our time is short,_

_This is our fate_

_I'm yours_

Sam started scatting, and we all laughed a little. I gripped Quinn's hand, and as she intertwined our fingers I missed the two eyes boring holes in the back of my head with their gaze from across the room.

_Don't you want to come on_

_Scooch on over closer dear_

_And I will nibble your ear_

I blew gently in Quinn's ear, causing her to giggle and the people around us to raise eyebrows and smirk. Sam smiled a bit and continued on with the bridge.

_I've been spending way too long_

_Checking my tongue in the mirror_

_And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer_

_But my breath fogged up the glass_

_And so I drew in a face and I laughed_

_I guess what I be sayin' is there ain't no better reason_

_To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons it's_

_What we aim to do_

_Our name is our virtue_

_But I won't hesitate_

_No more_

_No more_

_It cannot wait_

_I'm yours_

_Well open up your mind and see like me_

_Open up your plans and damn you're free_

_I look into your heart and you'll find the sky is yours!_

_So please don't_

_Please don't_

_Please don't_

_There's no need to complicate_

_'Cause our time is short_

_This oh, this oh this is our fate_

_I'm yours_

Sam finished with one final strum of the guitar and, understandably, a grin almost identical to the ones Noah, Quinn, and I had worn earlier. There is a certain thrill to performing; one that I crave constantly, and it is enhanced when you perform something meaningful with or for meaningful people.

"That was great Sam!" Schue exclaimed, clapping with the rest of us. Smiling on his way back to his seat in the back risers, the blonde football player received pats on the back, high fives, and verbal congratulations.

"So we have time for one more song today. Everyone else, you'll perform tomorrow. Who would like to go now?"

Finn stood up and strode to the center of the room, not waiting for anyone else to raise their hand. He turned to me and spoke bluntly.

"Rachel, this song says everything I would say to you." Quinn and Noah tensed, and I sensed the same with some of the others behind us. The quarterback picked up the acoustic guitar (seriously, what is with guys and that guitar today?) that was lain to the side. He played a few notes, stringing together a gentle melody.

_When I look into your eyes_

_It's like watching the night sky_

_Or a beautiful sunrise_

_There's so they hold_

_And just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul_

_Well I won't give up_

_On _

_Us_

_Even if the skies_

_Get_

_Rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_And when you're needing your space_

_To do some navigating_

_I'll be here patiently waiting_

_To see what you find_

_Cause even the stars_

_They_

_Burn_

_Some even fall_

_To_

_The earth_

_We got a lot _

_To _

_Learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_No I won't give up_

_I don't want to be someone who walks away so easily _

_I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make_

_Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got_

_We got a lot at stake  
And in the end you're still my friend_

_At least we did intent for us to work _

_We didn't break we didn't burn_

_We had to learn_

_How to bend_

_Without the world_

_Caving in_

_I had to learn_

_What I've got_

_And what I'm not_

_And who I am_

_I won't give up_

_On_

_Us_

_Even if the skies_

_Get_

_Rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_Still looking up_

_I won't give up_

_On_

_Us_

_God knows I'm tough_

_Enough_

_We got a lot_

_To_

_Learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_I won't give up_

_On_

_Us_

_Even if the skies_

_Get_

_Rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

Finn looked at me with a hopeful expression, but I just shot up and stormed out the door. I was halfway down the hall in my fast-walk before a shout behind me stopped me.

"Rachel!" I spun around and marched right up to the football player, slapping him across his left cheek.

"No means NO, Finn! What part of that do you not understand?"

"Y-you're breaking up with me?" He asked, confused. I let out a growl of frustration.

"Okay, Finn, listen to me. If it was not _perfectly clear_ before; YOU AND I ARE BREAKING UP!" I ended the sentence screaming in his face. "As in, not together! Not an item! Not boyfriend and girlfriend! Not going out! Not dating! We are OVER. Goodbye."

"But why?" I shook my head and turned to walk back toward the choir room.

"Because you have to ask that." I started walking, but Finn's voice struck me like a bolt of lightning. His voice was soft, but the words seemed to reverberate around my head and through the halls of the nearly-empty school.

"Who will love you now?"

**A/N: How ya like that? Don't worry; I won't leave you guys with a sorta-cliffhanger for a whole week. I'm not that cruel. I'm probably going to write another chapter tonight or tomorrow morning. Oh, and I know, sorry to those who don't like songs, but come on, this is ****_Glee. _****If there weren't at least 10 songs per week in their life I would be concerned. :D Also, I happen to be obsessed with music. I use music to express myself, and this comes through in my writing. Also, even the random songs in this story will have meaning. I don't just throw in random songs. Usually. BTW does anyone else hate Finn with a fiery, burning passion at the moment? Read and Review please. Peace out. :)**

**PS: The songs were Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, I'm Yours by Jason Mraz, and I Won't Give Up also by Jason Mraz. And I picked I Won't Give Up before I remembered it was on Glee.**


	22. Te Amo

I don't own Glee, regrettably.

A/N: hehe prepare for all hell to blow over.

Chapter 22 

**QPOV**

My mind raced as I went through the motions, getting ready to leave for school. Why did I have such a strange feeling about today? I had that weird, funny feeling you get in your stomach right before major shit is going to go down…

**_Hehehehehehe… _**

REALLY?! I thought you went away.

**_I never leave…_**

Hadn't noticed.

**_Sarcasm is said to be tearing of the flesh._**

I really don't care. It would be my own flesh anyway.

**_My humor is lost on you._**

Whatever.

**_Anyway, your powers of premonition have grown stronger, young Padawan._**

Star Wars? Really? And would you mind telling me what's going to happen, all knowing one?

**_Nup. Find out for yourself._**

You suck.

**_No I don't. You never give me the chance. (cackles)_**

Aah! The hell is your problem? Or I suppose it would me my problem…

**_Indeed. _**

So are you going to disappear, leaving me begging for the voice to come back _again_?

**_..._**

I take that as a yes.

"Quinn! You coming?" Rachel's voice called through the bathroom door.

**_Unfortunately, no._**

Shut up, Charlie you perv.

**_Ah, but I'm really just you, aren't I?_**

"'Lo?"

"Yeah I'll be right out, Rach." I hurriedly said, gathering up my stuff. Ugh, I still have no idea what's up with the funny feeling that I have about today…

* * *

Pulling away from Rachel's hug right as the 2 minute bell rang; I turned and walked into my Geometry class. Santana plopped into the seat next to me after a minute or two, and proceeded to poke my arm until I looked up at her exasperatedly.

"Is there something you needed?" She grinned and shook her head, going back to poking my arm with the enthusiasm of a five year-old.

"What is up with you? Did you get some last night or something?" I asked, wondering what could have happened to make the bitchy Santana Lopez act like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Well, yeah, but that's not why."

"Then why?"

"I'm just really excited for Glee." I raised my eyebrow at her and cupped my ear, checking to make sure I heard correctly.

"T_he_ Santana Lopez is excited for _Glee? _How can this be?" Her excited face instantly turned smug, and she adopted a knowing expression.

"You should be too."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that." I sighed and turned back towards the projector, sinking back into my seat a bit. Why does it seem like _everybody_ knows what's going to happen today but me?

"But believe me, you'll like it."

"Whatever." I ignored her and tried to focus on the notes, but zoned out soon. Soon the memory of yesterday floated to my mind.

* * *

_"Who will love you now?"_

_I see Rachel freeze in her tracks, and an image of her eyes suddenly spilling over with tears overtakes my brain. Bursting from my hiding place behind the lockers, I rush at Finn, pinning him to the wall on the opposite side of the hallway with strength I didn't know I had. My face leans in close to his, and I absorb the frightened look in his eyes. _

_"Finn Hudson, you listen, and listen well. If you come within 10 feet of Rachel at any time, I will _end_ you. Don't think I won't. Rachel has put up with your shit for too long. I have put up with your shit for too long. When you hurt her before, I put up with it, because I didn't need to get involved. But just now, what you just said? That crossed the line. You are now miles past the line. You have no right to say that. You have no right to her. Rachel deserves so much better than you, and I really don't give a fuck if you never realize that. You can go ahead living your miserable excuse of a life thinking about the one that got away, but don't you _DARE_ come anywhere _near_ her." The thick-headed lout tries to say something, but I press my forearm against his throat, effectively cutting him off. "Don't speak. Just don't. It'll make things worse for you." _

_I give him an extra press on his throat, before letting him free. Turning on my heel, I walk over to a shocked and broken Rachel. My arms reach around her, and she turns into my chest and trembles._

_"It's okay honey. It's okay. It'll be all right." She shakes her head and chokes words out between sobs._

_"But he's right. Who will love me?" I step back and grasp the sides of her face, forcing her to look at me._

_"He is most definitely not right! As to who will love you, I will-" I should leave it at that. I really should. I am a coward, though. "-make sure that you are loved." She nods without saying anything, and I brush away the tears running down her cheeks with the pad of my thumb. _

_"Since when do you care about Rachel anyway?" Of course Finn has to go and say something idiotic again. I shake my head and spin around, bringing my fist to connect very solidly with his nose. A crack resounds, and Finn's hands fly to his face as blood trickles from his nose._

_"AH! Holy fuck you have a hard face!" I yelp, clutching my bruised fist to my midsection. _

_"What is with blondes punching me?" Finn yells in pained exasperation. _

_"It's 'cause you act like a grade-A asshole all the time." I growl through clenched teeth. He leaps towards me, but ends up on the floor with the wind knocked out of him. A surprised Rachel stands to my right, with an extended leg, which had tripped Finn before he could make it to us. At that moment, Mr. Schue and most of the Glee club rounds the hallway corner. _

_"What's going on here?" Mr. Schue asks, and a stern voice that I have grown to know well sounds from behind me._

_"Well, it seems pretty obvious, William. This giant man-child accosted Barbra here, and Preggers beat the snot out of him, quite literally." I turn to see none other than Sue Sylvester standing in her trademark track suit, with one foot on Finn's back to keep him pinned to the floor. _

_An hour later found us in Principal Figgins's office._

_"I'm sorry Sue, but we simply cannot let Miss Fabray go without disciplinary action! There is a strict no-violence policy at this school, and this was a clear violation. The lowest punishment I can give is one day of out-of-school suspension."_

_"Listen here Figgy, you are going to let Q go without any sort of punishment, and that is that. I have it on camera that Hudson provoked this attack, and deserved what he got. He grabbed Barbra's arm, which classifies as violence, doesn't it?"_

_"Sue I don't think-"_

_"You're right, you don't think. It does classify as violence. Therefore, any violence against Hudson after that would be classified as self-defense, whether or not it was by Bar- Rachel herself. Q gets out scot-free." Sue turns to Finn, who is sitting across the room from Rachel and me, holding a pack of ice to his nose. "I will also be calling your parents. I'm sure Mr. Hummel and Mrs. Hummel-Hudson will be _extremely_ interested in the fact that their son treated his girlfriend in such a way." Finn pales even further, and his body becomes rigid with fear._

_"Q, take Barbra home. She's had a bad day." Sue says to me, and I roll my eyes a little._

_I stand up, pulling Rachel up with me. Behind us, Sue grabs Figgins's phone from his desk and dials a number. As Rachel and I exit the school, a very angry-looking Burt and Carol Hummel-Hudson speed into the parking lot. I smirk, a little as I help Rachel get into her car. Finn is going to get what's coming to him._

* * *

The bell startled me out of my reminiscing, and I packed up my things hurriedly. Turning, I voiced one of my worries to Santana.

"Do you think Rachel will be okay?"

"What do you mean?" The Latina's brow crinkled in confusion.

"She has next period with Finn." Santana laughed and shook her head.

"Didn't you notice? He didn't come to school today." I paused for a second, mulling over the information.

"Oh. Okay." I shouldered my bag and walked out of the classroom, waving goodbye to Santana. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Lunch was… interesting. Rachel, Puck, and I didn't have to practice anymore, so Rachel and I were slightly unsure as of where to go. We both ended up in the auditorium together, sitting on the edge of the stage and talking.

"Hey, you want to help me with something?" She suddenly asked, hopping to her feet and dusting off the back of her skirt. I grabbed her extended hand and stood up as well, checking my jeans for any floor fuzz.

"Sure, as long as I don't have to sleep with anyone." She gave me a shocked and incredulous look, and I waved off her concern. "Santana has some very strange ideas."

"Uh… no. You don't have to sleep with anyone. I was wondering if you wanted to help me with a little revenge for Finn." I grinned, millions of plots running through my head.

"What did you have in mind?" Rachel pulled her iPod out of her back pocket and opened up the video camera. She handed it to me, and went to stand center stage.

"Just press record." I did so, and watched Rachel Berry work her magic.

_I remember when we broke up the first time  
Saying, "This is it, I've had enough," 'cause like  
We hadn't seen each other in a month  
When you said you needed space. (What?)  
Then you come around again and say  
"Baby, I miss you and I swear I'm gonna change, trust me."  
Remember how that lasted for a day?  
I say, "I hate you," we break up, you call me, "I love you."_

Oooh we called it off again last night  
But oooh, this time I'm telling you, I'm telling you

We are never ever ever getting back together  
We are never ever ever getting back together  
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me  
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Like, ever...

I'm really gonna miss you picking fights  
And me, falling for it screaming that I'm right  
And you, would hide away and find your peace of mind  
With some indie record that's much cooler than mine

Oooh, you called me up again tonight  
But oooh, this time I'm telling you, I'm telling you

We are never ever ever getting back together  
We are never ever ever getting back together  
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)  
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Oooh yeah, oooh yeah, oooh yeah  
Oh oh oh

I used to think that we were forever ever  
And I used to say, "Never say never..."  
Uggg, so he calls me up and he's like, "I still love you,"  
And I'm like... "I just... I mean this is exhausting, you know, like,  
We are never getting back together. Like, ever"

No!

We are never ever ever getting back together  
We are never ever ever getting back together  
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me  
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

We, ohhh, getting back together,ohhh,  
We, ohhh, getting back together

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)  
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Rachel stepped towards the camera, and spoke directly into it.

"Yeah, never gonna happen, Finn. You can go fuck yourself for all I care." She motioned for me to stop recording, and I pressed the blinking red button. Rachel grabbed the iPod and opened YouTube. 3 minutes later, the video was posted.

"Jacob Ben Israel should have gotten ahold of that by, 3… 2… 1… now. He stalks my YouTube account. The whole school will have seen it by Monday."

My mouth hung open in awe, and the brunette suddenly acted shy; looking down and tucking her hair behind her ear nervously.

"What?" I shook my head in disbelief.

"You are so awesome." She giggled a little, before pushing me lightly in the arm.

"Whatever. Wierdo."

"Oh, so now _I'm_ the weirdo?" She stuck her tongue out at me.

"You always were."

* * *

Glee rolled around faster than usual, and I found myself sitting between Rachel and Santana, feeling tired but comfortable. I turned sideways and wrapped my arms around Rachel's waist, letting my head fall forward into the crook in her neck. She readjusted her head and placed a hand on my back, before continuing her argument in Spanish with Santana. I ignored the two brunettes, and focused on the hand now toying with the tips of my hair.

I didn't look up until I heard a rather tired Mr. Schuester enter the room. He rubbed a hand through his curly hair and sighed.

"Erm, so who has a number they would like to do?"

Artie raised his hand with a dejected look.

"Sorry Mr. Schue, I would, but I had, like, absolutely no inspiration." Our teacher seemed to grow even more tired with that, and cast a defeated look around the room.

Santana raised her hand, which was surprising in itself, as it showed a modicum of politeness.

"Mr. Schue, the rest of us have something that we'd like to perform."

"Okay then, take the floor." Mr. Schue stood back, and motioned for Santana to step forward. I felt Rachel gasp, much like I felt like doing, at the people that stood up. Santana and Brittany stood in the center of the room, but also standing with them were Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike. My eyes narrowed, as I didn't trust a sudden alliance between two-thirds of the Glee club.

"This is dedicated to two… very _special_ friends of mine." Santana caught my eye and grinned mischievously.

_Oh Lord_ what is she going to do_._

Kurt's countertenor voice suddenly pierced the air of the choir room, and I inhaled sharply at the choice of song. Brittany and Santana started the tango as the verse rang through the room.

_"Te amo, te amo,"  
She says to me  
I hear the pain in her voice.  
Then we danced underneath the candelabra  
She takes the lead  
That's when I saw it in her eyes, it's over_

Santana pulled away from a distraught-looking Brittany, and started singing the chorus. The two girls started an elaborate choreography pattern, conveying altogether betrayal and regret.

_Then she said "te amo,"  
Then she put her hand around me waist_

Brittany's arm wrapped around the Latina's waist from behind, but Santana pulled away, only to be spun back around to face her girlfriend.

_I told her no,  
She cried "te amo"  
I told her I'm not gonna run away  
But let me go  
My soul is awry,  
Without asking why  
I said "te amo",  
Wish somebody'd tell me what she said?_

The two leaned their foreheads until they were touching, and together started to slowly turn in a circle, until spinning away from each other as the second verse started.

_Don't it mean "I love you"?  
Think it means "I love you"  
Don't it mean "I love you"?_

Brittany, surprisingly, sang the second verse, performing the same type of elaborate choreography as before. I suddenly noticed the other members of the group. Most were simply swaying in the background; and then there was Mike. He was, quite literally, dancing circles around the blonde and Latina. My attention once again turned to Brittany and Santana, whose roles seemed to switch since the chorus.

_Te amo, te amo,  
She's scared to breathe  
I hold her hand, I got no choice  
Pulled me out on the beach, danced in the water._

It was now Santana's turn to act needy, and pull Brittany in for a mini slow dance, before being pushed away gently.

_I start to leave  
She's begging me and asking _

_Why it's over_

The two performed the chorus once again, with basically the same choreography as before.

_Then she said "te amo"_

_Then she put her hand around my waist_

_I told her no_

_She cried "te amo"_

_I told her I'm not gonna run away,_

_But let me go_

_My soul is awry,_

_Without asking why_

_I said, "te amo"_

_Wish somebody'd tell me what she said_

_Don't it mean "I love you"?_

_Think it means "I love you"_

_Don't it mean "I love you"?_

Mercedes stepped forward, and started belting out the bridge.

_Listen we can dance,  
But you gotta watch your hands  
Watch me all night, _

_I'm movin' to the night _

_Because I understand  
That we all need love  
And I'm not afraid  
To feel the love _

_But I don't feel that way_

Santana caught my eye, and I suddenly understood what she had meant. This was my chance. This was my chance to grow a pair and actually _do something_. I stood up and grabbed Rachel's hand, singing the chorus to her.

_Then she said "te amo"_

_Then she put her hand around my waist_

_I told her no_

_She cried "te amo"_

_I told her I'm not gonna run away,_

_But let me go_

Rachel surprised me by singing the next part, and drawing closer to me with every line.

_My soul is awry,_

_Without asking why_

_I said, "te amo"_

_Wish somebody'd tell me what she said_

_Don't it mean "I love you"?_

_Think it means "I love you"_

_Don't it mean "I love you"?_

By this point she was right in front of me, and her hands reached up to rest on my shoulders. My fingers gravitated forward to settle on her hips, and we entered our own bubble. There was no Glee Club. There was no song. There were just those beautiful chocolate eyes. As if in a far-away dream, I heard Tina singing the last three lines.

_Te amo  
Te amo  
Don't it means "I love you"? _

"Oh for the love of God…" A mutter that I suppose was from Santana came to my ears. Suddenly, a mass collided with my back, and I pitched forward. I braced myself with my foot, and didn't fall over, but my upper body and head did lean forward. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

I was suddenly aware of soft lips against mine, and pops of color exploding in my head. My brain then went numb, and no more thought permeated it. The moment, however, that the lips began to move against mine, I snapped out of my daze. I jerked back and backed away from Rachel, who looked stunned. Looking around, I noticed the entire Glee Club staring at Rachel and me.

"Holy shit…" Mike breathed, the first to say anything after several seconds.

"I- I have to go." I stammered, backing towards the door. "I'll see you later Rach." I added, not wanting her to come looking for me when I didn't want to be found. Turning, I sprinted out of the choir room and out the doors of the school.

_Nononononononononononononono nononononononononononononono thiscannotbehappening!_

My thoughts strung together as I ran, and they ended in a gibberish pile of jumbled fear.

**_Someday she will learn._**

**A/N: So what do you think? I have been planning this scene since before I even started writing IBT, but I'm not sure if what I wrote does it justice to what I had in my head. For those of you who wanted an approximation of when they will get together, the climax of the story is going to be the party (remember that?) that is scheduled for a week after this chapter takes place. By their next school day Faberry will be together. This story was basically about how they got together, not about what happens afterwards, so I don't know if I'll take it further. Maybe I'll have a sequel. Idk. So read and review please! Peace out. :)**

**PS: The songs were We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift, and Te Amo by Rihanna.**

**PPS: This chapter is dedicated to mah friend Olivia. She gave me the idea for Rachel's "revenge". And she's also just awesome. :D**


	23. Blissful Torture

I don't own Glee, etc etc.

Chapter 23

**QPOV**

I stopped running and leant against a tree beside the sidewalk. This was probably the best place to rest, so I slid down to the ground and tilted my head back to rest against the rough bark. My eyes slipped shut, but images still played across the inside of my eyelids.

The sound of a car pulling up beside me reached my ears, and I cracked my left eye, peering to my left. A black Hummer, that I recognized clearly, stopped and the engine's roar died as the driver hopped out and walked around to me. I groaned and closed my eyes again, hoping that he would go away.

"Not cool."

"What do you want, Puckerman?" I asked in an irritated voice. The mohawked boy dropped to the ground next to me and sat with his arms resting on his bent knees. "If you are going to tell me that I shouldn't run away from her, save it," I cut him off before he could say anything in response. "I've already been given the spiel."

"I wasn't going to say that." I scoffed.

"Sure you weren't."

"No, I really wasn't." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Fine then, I'll humor you. What were you going to say, if it was not to reprimand my flight?"

"I was going to say that it's not cool that you didn't talk to me about this." I rolled my eyes again. Choosing not to focus on what _this_ is, I gave the first retort I could think of.

"So, what, you could make some crass joke and make me feel like shit?" He scrunched up his nose and his eyebrows creased in a hurt-puppy look.

"Is that really what you think of me?"

"Well-" I faltered for a moment, "- not really. It just didn't seem like something you would take very well. You and Rachel are very," My mouth adopted a foul taste, "_close_."

Puck peered at me in confusion, with one eyebrow quirked in curiosity. He suddenly burst into laughter and rocked back and forth until he ended up on his back, clutching his belly. Glaring daggers at him, I waited for him to sit back up and contain his chuckles.

"What?" He giggled – I kid you not, _giggled_ – and ran his hand up and down his mohawk.

"You think – you think that I – that _Rachel _and I – that's funny. That's real funny."

"Well is that not the case? It sure seems like it." My voice was bitter; I can't imagine why. And don't tell me why.

"Okay, at this point I kind of have no idea what we are talking about. So, let me get the facts straight," He had sobered up instantly and was counting off events on his fingers. "You and Rachel are best buds now."

I nodded.

"How did that happen?"

"That is a story for another day." Today was not going to be show-and-tell-my-life day.

"No, it is a story for today. I need to know everything that happened."

"WHY?" I yelled, jumping to my feet and preparing to run away again. That was a long enough rest. Puck also stood up, giving me a level stare.

"Because I care."

"_Why?_" My voice had lost its anger, and I now just sounded like I was pleading.

"Quinn, a lot of people care about you. Do you not realize that?"

I shook my head and stared at the ground, halfway wanting to believe him and halfway wanting to run away again. My feet, however, seemed to be glued in one spot, so that I couldn't move.

Suddenly a pair of worn, black Vans entered my vision of the ground, and arms wrapped around me. I stiffened immediately, but Puck didn't flinch back or let go. My hands feebly tried to push him away, but they dropped back to my sides as my emotional defeat seeped through my bones.

When had _I_become the basketcase? When did my life become a giant rollercoaster of emotions? I was used to shoving away all emotion and living and breathing the façade I put up for others. How come all of a sudden I started actually _feeling_ all of the crazy things that happened?

**_You know-_**

No. Not listening. Switching off brain. I don't care if I should listen. Not going to.

I smirked as this small part of the old me shone through.

"Feeling better now?"

I shrugged; Puck's arms loosened and he stepped back.

"You're a mess." I rolled my eyes.

"Wow, _thanks_, that's exactly what a girl wants to hear," I said, sarcasm practically dripping from my voice. He rolled his broad shoulders and grinned at me.

"Just tellin' it how it is. So, shall we continue with the story?" I groaned and trudged over to resume my original position on the ground next to the tree.

"What do you want to know?"

"How and why did you and my little Jewish princess become friends?" Air entered my lungs rapidly as I gathered a huge breath, and launched into my story.

_10 minutes later…_

"That little bitch! I'm going to pound her face in! Who the hell gave her the right to talk to you that way!"

"She's my mother. Society did. But don't bother. Rachel already gave her a verbal beat-down. And as much as I hate the entirety of my family right now, it just doesn't seem right to beat up a drunken old lady."

"But you know that none of what she said is true, right?" This caused me to pause. Did I? Sure, I've been told so, but do I really know it and accept that what my mother said was not the truth of the matter? I sighed. Fricking soul-searching questions.

"I suppose I know it up here," I pointed to my head, "but not in here," I pointed to my heart. Puck draped and arm around my shoulders and pulled me in for a quick side-hug, kissing the side of my head.

"Oh, honey, it's gonna be okay." I suddenly squirmed and turned to him.

"Wait, you aren't gay, are you?" His face looked shocked and like he thought I was crazy. Which is how I probably sounded, but whatever.

"Uhh… what?"

"Well, you are filling the stereotypical role in life of the best guy friend, who is usually gay. So are you?" I peered at him, knowing full well that I looked like a madwoman.

"Erm… that's a strange thing to say but umm… I don't know. Never thought about it I guess." He shrugged. "Does it matter?" I sighed and leaned back against the tree. If that was a subconscious diversion tactic it failed.

"Not really. Just curious. So now what?"

"So you are now pretty much besties with Rachel."

"I suppose."

"And you are staying with her in her house."

"Yeah."

"Did she tell you about… anything… interesting?" I chuckled a little at his lack of descriptive capabilities.

"You mean that she's bi?" He breathed a sigh of what I would assume is relief.

"Yeah. Okay, so we've got that out of the way. So you are friends, you're staying together, and – OH! What about Finn? Didn't you beat the crap out of him?"

"Ugh. Well he was being an idiotic lump of jerkitude so I told him to stay away from Rachel and then hit him in the face. And then she tripped him." Puck's expression was one of awe, and he held out his hand, which I slapped with a grin.

"Sweet. And now we have all of the facts, correct? You're friends with Rachel and staying with her; she broke up with Finn, who couldn't take a hint and tried to get her back; you hit him in the face; and then you kissed Rachel-" My heart stopped for a few seconds as the memory came back to me, "- so you freaked out and ran away. I don't see what the problem is?"

"The problem is that-" My voice dropped to a hiss, "- _I'm not gay!"_ Puck chuckled and shook his head.

"News flash darlin': You just kissed a girl!" I sputtered for a few moments before finding my words.

"But only because Santana bumped into me!"

"Surrreee, uh-huh, because you didn't enjoy it _at all_, right?" My mind flashed back to that moment, and I relived it for a short second. Those _incredibly_ soft lips, and the electricity that seemed to zap my brain. The tingling I felt when I pulled away, masked in the moment by the confusion and embarrassment I had felt. Hindsight is 20/20, they say.

"I- It wasn't _terrible_. But that doesn't mean anything! Maybe I just like kissing people!" But as soon as the words left my mouth I knew that they were a lie. I had never liked kissing any of my boyfriends. They were always really sloppy, and the guy always seemed to be too aggressive. All of a sudden I registered the boy next to me leaning closer to my face, and I scrambled backwards in a hurry.

"What the hell!" I yelled, sitting up on my heels and putting my hands in front of me in a defensive position. "What was that?"

"Yeah, I highly doubt that you 'just like kissing people.' If that had been so, you wouldn't have been able to resist the Puckster."

"Whatever," I growled, and scooted back to my original spot. "That still doesn't prove anything."

"Okay, fine. I'm not going to tell you what you are or aren't, because that's not how stuff like this works. Just know that if you _ever_ need to talk, I'm here." I grabbed his arm and hugged it like a child would a stuffed animal, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Thanks. So how are you and Rachel friends?" I could feel the vibrations from his laughter ripple through his whole body, and smiled at the security I felt.

"Well, she's Jewish, I'm Jewish, what more is there to say?" He grinned when I whacked him on the arm, and elaborated.

"Hmmm… It was probably about three weeks after we stopped dating? I realized I really wasn't that pissed off that she and I broke up, seeing as we were all wrong for each other anyway. One day in the hall I went and talked to her about how we used to be friends in elementary school. I was such an idiot as a little kid…"

"Still are," I added.

"Ha ha very funny. And she remembered that we used to be little bro's, and we just kinda became friends again. Not quite sure what happened, but it might have something to do with the 352 texts we exchanged that night." We both adopted wide smiles, as he remembered and I imagined how every one of Rachel's messages was probably grammatically correct and fully lengthened to anecdotal level.

"And you two aren't – you know – going out or anything?" Puck laughed loudly, and shook his head.

"No, definitely not."

"Huh. So what's it like being friends with both of us?"

"Oh, I feel like such a pimp. I get to walk down the halls of McKinley with two of the hottest ladies in school on my arm. Unfortunately neither of them wants back on the Puckasaurus train." He pouted at me, and my smile widened even further. He sighed and looked up to the sky with puppy-dog eyes. "Forever alone…" I pushed him in the shoulder and stood up, dusting grass off the back of my jeans.

"Yeah right. 'Forever alone' my ass. Just go hook up with some cheerleader. Or football player…?" I wiggled my eyebrows at the boy as he stood up as well. Puck shrugged and walked backwards towards his Hummer.

"Hey, whichever's hotter." My jaw hit the ground, and I stared as the giant black car's engine revved, and the vehicle sped off down the street. For being so conservative, Lima had a really large number of gay (or thereabouts) people…

A little voice in the back of my head (not Charlie) niggled at my train of thought.

_Could I add myself to that list?_

I shut off my brain and started jogging again, this time towards the place I had called home for the past week.

* * *

**RPOV**

_Step one two, step one two three, one two three four five six seven eight, kick ball change, step turn slide. _

My pacing adopted a pattern, almost as if I was dancing. My brain also adopted a pattern, as one question; one word, really, repeated in my head approximately every seven seconds.

_Why?_

Everything was so confusing, and I had no idea why any of it was happening. One moment we were singing and dancing, and then the next Quinn kissed me. And then, by the time that part registered, she jumped back like she had been burned and ran out the door. I knew – no, I _hoped_, that she was coming back, because she said so; but then again she has been known to break her word.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, and I jumped about a foot in the air. My feet gained a life of their own and flew towards the wooden entryway, and I flung the door open. Standing on the porch was a rather disheveled-looking blonde cheerleader.

I grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug, before remembering the situation and stepping back, red-faced.

"Uhh… sorry. I thought that you had run away again." She gave me a tentative smile.

"No, I didn't. I just needed time to think. Puck came and talked to me."

"Oh? And what did he say?" She shrugged and looked at the ground, scuffing the heel of her Converse against the worn wood.

"Just that I could talk to him if I ever needed to," She paused and looked up. "So, erm, can we talk? About what happened?" I opened the door further and stepped to the side.

"No time like the present, I guess."

"Thanks," she said, and stepped over the threshold, heading to the living room. I shut the door and followed her. We both sat in two plush leather chairs facing each other.

"So, just to clear the air, I don't have a crush on you or anything," She started. "Santana bumped into me and I fell forward and I'm not quite sure what happened after that."

Each word was another nail in the coffin. I started rebuilding the walls around my mind and heart brick by brick. Part of me questioned the truth of what Quinn was saying, despite my best efforts.

_Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? "Yeah um so I kinda fell, and I caught myself on your lips with mine. I didn't want to kiss you or anything. Duh. Totally accidental, because that happens all the time, you know?" Bullshit._

But as Quinn continued on with compensating and making excuses for her actions, I believed it easily. Why would she have wanted to kiss me anyway? She's blonde ex-cheerleader _Quinn Fabray_, and I'm that dorky _girl_ that she happens to be friends with.

"Do you underst-"

"Yeah I get it. You didn't mean to. It was an accident. Let's just act like it never happened, okay?" I cut Quinn off mid-sentence in a clipped tone, wanting to get this conversation over with.

Walls. Walls. I need walls. _Where the hell did my fucking walls go!_ I can't react. I can't say anything, or show anything, or have any sort of breakdown. The boundaries I had spent years building had fallen, and were not coming back up fast enough. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, repeating to myself the sayings that had worked all those years ago. I hated them, but the only way I could get myself to respond fast enough is through provocation.

_1. You aren't good enough._

_ 2. You never were._

_ 3. You never will be._

_ 4. Nobody wants you._

_ 5. Nobody loves you._

_ 6. It's better to not get attached._

_ 7. Anyone you care about will hurt you._

In my head I repeated a saying from one of my favorite books, which usually sealed the deal:

_"It ain't no good liking people. I thought you would've learned that by now."_

"Rachel? Are you okay?" My eyes popped open and I gave Quinn one of my 100-watt smiles.

"Of course! Why would I not be?"

"I don't know… You just had your eyes closed and looked kind of distressed."

"I can assure you that I am quite all right! So, if you don't mind, I do believe I am going to take a walk. Feel free to help yourself to anything you would like; I should be back in approximately an hour."

"Okay…"

**I spun on my heel **

**and walked out the door **

**and down the sidewalk **

**and turned a corner **

**and then another **

**and kept walking **

**and walking **

**and walking **

**and found myself in the middle of a road, staring at an oncoming car. **

How did I end up here?

The car screeched to a stop as the driver slammed on the brakes.

"What the hell, Berry?" I looked around for the source of noise and saw a brown blur marching angrily towards me. As the blur got closer, it started to adopt features, until I realized who it was.

"What is your problem? Why were you standing in the middle of the road like an idiot?" Santana yelled.

"Huh?" Why is she yelling at me? What just happened?

"How did you get here? Where's your car?"

"What car?" What is she talking about?

"A car? You know, vroom vroom?" She motioned with her hands like she was holding a steering wheel. "Something you almost got hit by just now?"

"Yeah, what about it?" She looked exasperated. Did I do something wrong?

"You did use a car to get here, didn't you?" Why do I need a car when I can walk?

"No. I don't think so." She looked confused. Was it not normal to walk? People do it all the time.

"Then how did you get here?"

"I walked." She looked appalled. Maybe I did do something wrong. "Where am I?"

"Rachel, honey, you're in Lima Heights. I've been to your house. You just walked 6 miles." She spoke gently, as if I was a small child. I understood what she said. What was the big deal? 6 was just a number. So what if I walked 6 miles? It's not like I was tired or anything.

"Okay." It was all I could think of to say.

"What happened? Where were you trying to go?"

"Nowhere. I was just walking." Why was she asking so many questions? What if I didn't have an answer? There seemed to be something that I wasn't comprehending.

"Why were you walking?"

"Should I not walk?" Billions of people do it every day. Or maybe I just thought so, and in reality they were just sitting the whole time. No, I'm pretty sure that everybody walks, unless they are paralyzed or forced to not walk.

"No, you can walk if you want to." She looked at me through squinted eyes, as if I was some sort of alien or mythological creature. I stared back at her with a blank expression, distracted occasionally by light reflecting off her caramel skin. "It's just that normally people don't walk 6 miles without a reason."

I shrugged.

"Since when am I normal?"

"Hmm… Did anything happen to upset you?"

I thought. I thought more. Why lie?

"Yes." She looked at me with an expectant expression.

"Which was…?"

"Quinn." She looked sympathetic. I didn't want her sympathy.

"Oh, Rachel, I'm sor-"

"I don't care." She looked taken aback.

"What?"

"I don't want your pity. I don't need your pity. I don't care."

She looked.

And looked.

And took a deep breath.

"Rachel, come back."

"I don't know what you are talking about." My voice was monotone, robotic.

"Come back from wherever you went. This is not you."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Same. Monotone. Robot. Automaton.

"You have to try. Try for me. Try to come back. Try to remember your happiness. Try for me. Try for Britt. Try for Puck. Try for Qui-" Hands have grabbed my shoulders; I pushed them away.

"No."

"Rachel, please." She looked like she was pleading. Santana Lopez does not plead.

"Pathetic." She looked offended.

"What?"

"Pathetic. Don't beg; it's unbecoming." I am being cruel. Interesting. This is a new feeling. Power.

My head snapped to the side suddenly. What just happened? The force that had moved my head was not my own muscles. A spread of warmth across my cheek registered with my brain. Was this pain? I looked forward again. Santana was turned to the left slightly, her right arm bent out across the front of her body, as if she was buckling a seatbelt. She must have slapped me. Interesting.

"What happened to you?" She looked helpless. "What did she do to you?"

"What she does best. Absolutely nothing." She looked like she was going to step forward towards me. No. That was not happening. I walked backwards for several paces, trying to get away. My right heel hit something hard. It must be the curb. Interesting. My body falls backwards, and my head hits the cement. The last thing I see is black.

"Rachel? Rachel, are you all right? Hobbit, wake up! Wake up damn it!"

My eyes fly open and I look up to see a concerned Santana Lopez leaning over me. Her raven-black hair has tumbled down around my face, but through gaps I can see the lightness of sky.

"_Gracias a dios_, I thought you were dead!" The Latina sits back on her heels, and stares at me cautiously. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," I sit up, and suddenly feel dizzy. "Not so much anymore." I close my eyes to try and ignore the black edges of my vision. I don't want to black out after having just woken up from what I suppose was unconsciousness?

"But you don't feel… upset?"

"No. Should I?" Santana panicked and started checking the back of my head, checking my eyes, and looking over the rest of me.

"Are you okay? Does anything other than your head hurt?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Okay, can you say your name for me?"

"Rachel Barbra Berry."

"And what is today?"

"Friday?"

"What are your parents' names?"

"Hiram and Leroy Berry."

"Who is your mother?"

"Shelby Corcoran."

"Who is the greatest singer of all time?"

"Barbra Streisand, of course." The girl breathed a sigh of relief and sat back again on her heels, cracking a smile.

"Liar; it's you, but don't tell anyone I said that. Anyways, at least you don't have a concussion or any other serious brain injury, and you aren't bleeding. But do you not remember what happened today?"

"I went to school, and then to Glee, and then- oh." All the memories came flooding back, and with them came the emotions. A whimper slipped out, and tears blurred my vision. A person, most likely Santana, came closer and arms slipped around me, holding me in a secure grip. I let the tears fall, and a shroud of pain and sadness covered my mind.

"It's okay, it's fine to cry, just let it out," Santana murmured gently, tucking my head underneath her chin and pulling me into her body. She started to rock slowly back and forth as I sobbed into her collarbone.

"It hurts…" I managed to get out in between sobs.

"I know it does. I know. It gets better. It really does."

"I-it doesn't seem like it…"

"It doesn't seem like it, but it does, eventually."

I cried for another good twenty minutes or so, until my tear ducts dried up and my muscles were exhausted from trembling. I pulled gently away from the Latina, immediately missing the warmth that another human being brought. Her brown eyes, filled with warmth that I had never seen before, stared at me with empathy.

"You really like her don't you? You wouldn't react this way unless you really, _really_ like her."

My head moved up and down in a slow nod.

"Do you think I have a chance?" I asked tentatively, my hopeful side ignoring the efforts I took to try and squash it. Santana sighed and looked away.

"I don't know. I think so. But it all depends on her. If she runs away like she always does then maybe not."

I nodded again. I understood.

Santana stood up and offered me a hand. My own hand reached up to clasp it, and I rose off the ground. Suddenly my legs felt wobbly, and numbness spread through them, causing me to collapse halfway to the ground before the other girl caught me. She wrapped an arm around my waist and I put my arm around her shoulders as she supported most of my weight.

"Okay there?"

"I think so. My legs feel like I've run two 5K's." The cheerleader chuckled a bit.

"That would be because you walked 6 miles to get here."

"What the hell possessed me to walk 6 miles randomly?"

"Possessed would be a pretty damn good word to describe you."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I'll drive you home."

"But what if she-"

"Chill out. It will all be fine."

"Okay," I said as I let Santana help me into the passenger side seat of her Honda Accord.

15 minutes later found me walking unsteadily up to my front door, waving goodbye to Santana, who was pulling out of the driveway. I opened the door and stepped inside, caught up in a whirlwind of blonde.

"Where were you? Are you okay? You said you would only been gone for an hour, and it's been 3! Who was that in that car? Were you kidnapped? Wait, no, that doesn't make sense, because then you wouldn't be here. But maybe your kidnappers decided to have mercy and dropped you back home! Do I need to call the police?"

"Quinn! Calm down! You are making no sense right now!" I took a breath and placed my hands on the blonde girl's shoulders to keep her in place. "I am fine. I lost track of time and ran into Santana a ways away from here. She dropped me back here after we talked for a little bit. Right now I am just really tired and want to go to sleep."

"Of course, of course. Sleep. Important. You need to sleep. Come on." She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the stairs, and I stumbled and tripped after her. When we got to my room she let go of my hand and sat on the bed, watching as I grabbed clothes and various things I needed to get ready to go to bed.

"One of your dads came home around 6 and I told him you were on a walk. He said to tell you that he and your other dad would be gone until about 10. I'm going to wait up and tell them you are fine but were really tired and went to sleep early."

"Okay." I nodded and headed out the door to the bathroom. When I went back into my bedroom, Quinn was gone, probably downstairs. I climbed between my sheets and fell asleep as soon as my eyes closed.

Sometime during the night, I felt a body inhabit the other side of the bed. The cinnamon smell I had grown used to pervaded my senses, and Quinn snuggled closer to me. As an arm draped over my waist, tears slipped silently down my cheeks.

This was blissful torture, but by hell was I going to give up the bliss in order to lessen the torture.

**A/N: Heyyyy people. Sorry I haven't updated this weekend until now. But I gave you guys an extra-long chapter to try and make up for it! And I'm also probably going to write and post another one on Tuesday, seeing as I have off from school for elections**


	24. Oh, How Rude of Me!

Glee is owned by Ryan Murphy, not me, (unfortunately).

Chapter 24

**QPOV**

Her breath hit my lips in short puffs. Her vanilla scent surrounded me, encompassing the entirety of my senses. Long brown hair hung in between our faces so that we were shrouded and hidden by a curtain of silky strands. Slowly, ever so slowly, I inched forward. Centimeters, millimeters, nano millimeters away. One – more – move –

What the hell is tickling my ear?

The image of Rachel slipped away into blackness despite my mental clawing at it to stay. The tickling of my ear continued, and I cracked my eyes open, flinching away from the sunlight as I did so. I turned over to see the real-life Rachel staring at me with a finger extended towards where the edge of my ear had been a few moments ago.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a gravelly voice.

"Trying to get you to wake up," she said in a self-satisfied voice. "And it appears that it worked, did it not?"

"Ugh," I muttered as I stuffed my face back into the pillow. My voice muffled by the cotton, I growled out an eloquent retort. "It is _way_ too early in the morning to deal with your antics."

"Quinn! It is not early at all! It is 10 o'clock, almost midday! As Benjamin Franklin said, 'Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.'"

"Last time I checked, I'm not a man."

"That's not the point!"

"Why," I asked, turning my head to look at Rachel, "are you so chipper in the morning? Please don't tell me _both_ of your dads are morning people."

"Nope, just Daddy. But I get most of my personality qualities from him, so that isn't really surprising. So what would you like to do today? It is a perfectly good Saturday – at least what's left of it – we should do something fun and engaging! What would you suggest?"

"Coffee," I groaned, sitting up to a kneeling position and stretching.

"Oh! Of course! I'll get that started. There isn't much else to do… I'm bored! How about-" Rachel paused for a second as I glared at her, before she gathered herself and changed her train of speech. "How about I just go now before you cut me or something equally undesirable like you look like you are wont to do in your current state?"

"Good idea," I said, trying to contain the menacing snarl. Morning person? Thy name is not Quinn Fabray. A sigh fell from my lips as I followed the brunette's small form scurry out the door.

My phone suddenly buzzed, and I looked down to see a text from Santana. Huh. We haven't really texted in a while…

**Satan: Call. NOW. **

O-kay…

I pressed 2 on my speed dial and waited while the phone rang. At the third ring the line picked up and my friend's usually-snarky-but-this-time-borderline-angry voice came through the line.

_"You screwed up."_

"Hi, how are you, oh I'm great, thanks for asking!"

_"I don't have the time or the patience for this. You screwed up majorly."_

"What did I do?"

_"You know _damn_ well what you did. Now you better spend the rest of this weekend busting your ass to make that girl feel special, because I don't give a shit about whether or not you want to deal with your feelings; she deserves so much better than you right now."_

"But I didn't do any-"

_"You might think you didn't, but you did. Believe me, I've been in your shoes and I've been in hers. Let me guess. You told her it was an accident, that it didn't mean anything, and that it was better to pretend it never happened. I bet that she said it was fine, that she understood, and no harm no foul, right? Bullshit. You just took every ounce of self-respect she had and stomped all over it to make yourself feel like that innocent little Christian daddy's girl like you used to be – and for what? To lie to yourself a little bit longer? You never consider what effects your actions have on other people."_

"But she seemed-"

_"She seemed fine because she is a master of masks. Quinn, you and I know a lot about each other. You are one of the few people that I feel comfortable with a friendship like that. There are, however, some things that you will never understand about me; things that I will find in common with people around me, people around you, people around Britt, and others too. We both understand how to mask the emotions under the surface of our skin. We acknowledge these emotions to some degree, but do not allow others to see them. However, there is another aspect to some people, like Rachel and me, where there are some things that we choose to deprive from even ourselves." _

"I do that-"

_"No you don't. I know you. I have known you for quite some time. You don't do that. Tell me, has there been any point throughout your life where you have told yourself that you were delusional? Not as in, you are seeing strange things, but like you had a marred perspective of the world? Like there was something wrong with you, and somehow you just saw the world in a screwed up way. You, Quinn, have the tendency to push things away because you don't want to accept them. But once you accept them, they are there to stay, and are considered universal truths."_

"Not reall-"

_"Will you just shut up and let me talk! You may not think this is what you do, but it is. You aren't made to question things you had accepted, that you had been told and completely believed were true. Look, you have been amazing to Rachel so far. You have been a kind, sympathetic, supportive, optimistic, and devoted friend. Better than I've ever seen you, in fact. The past week has convinced everyone – Rachel, me, Britt, Puck, the Glee Club, the entire school – that you two are now THE inseparable best friends, and there is also a weird dynamic between the two of you that surprised everyone. That was all fine and dandy. And then it got all jacked up because you kissed her. And, before you interrupt me again, I get that it was partially my fault. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so much anymore. I should have known that you would say something like you did. I get that you didn't realize the impact your words had. You didn't see that broken girl afterwards. I did. I won't give you specifics because you don't need them. Just know that you better be pretty fucking careful about what you say, because you have no __**clue**__ what her reaction is going to be. It is scary and I hope that you will never see it, although that is really a futile hope."_

"Can I talk now?"

_"Sure."_

"Why do you care so much? You aren't being your usual bitchy self, and you aren't being a fuzzball either. Why are you protecting her when you barely even know her?"

_"Because I've been there. I've been told that 'that kiss just now meant nothing, and we are best friends so just pretend it didn't happen'; I've been in that spot where everything you had seen the world as comes tumbling down, and those who you thought would be there for you suddenly turn into the ones that hurt you the most. Sure, it ended up fine for me; great, in fact, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt like a bitch along the way."_

"Oh. So what do you want me to do? It's not like I can take back what I said, and I don't particularly want to."

I'm pretty sure I heard Santana mutter "_tonta," _but I might have been hearing things.

_"You don't have to. But make Rachel feel like she's worth something, 'cause right now she feels like absolute shit that happens to be stuck to the bottom of your shoe."_

"But she's not…"

_"And how is she supposed to know that? Just fix it, Fabray."_

"O-okay. I'll tr-" The line went dead, not accidentally. I sighed and set my phone down beside me. Why do people have to be so complicated?

**S (Santana) POV**

"Britt, I'm worried about them."

"I know you are San," The blonde said while rubbing soothing circles on my back. "But let them figure all this out. We really have no right to barge into their lives."

"It's just that everything they're going through seems clear as day to you and me! Then again, we do have some pretty badass skills of perception," I said with a grin. Brittany chuckled along with me.

"Yeah, but just let them be. If one of them screws something up, they'll fix it. Anyways, it's not like we are _those people_ that manipulate everyone else behind their backs. We aren't matchmakers either." The girl let out a yawn. "And right now, I just kinda wanna take a nap and ignore them." She wiggled a little on the couch so that she was in prime napping position, and looked up at me with expectant eyes.

"Well then that is exactly what we shall do, m'lady. Let's let the two of 'em figure out their own problems. _We_," I said, lying down further as well, "are taking a nap."

Brittany giggled and I turned to kiss her on the nose. Meh, who cares about Quinn and Rachel. I have my girlfriend right here who is demanding my attention…

* * *

**Online Group Chat (Glee Club) POV**

- _Puckzilla _has joined the chatroom

- _TroutyMouth _has joined the chatroom

- _DancerChang94 _has joined the chatroom

- _TinaCChang _has joined the chatroom

- _WhiteChocolate_ has joined the chatroom

- _HellToTheNo_ has joined the chatroom

_WhiteChocolate:_ ok am I going to be the first to ask what happened on friday?

_HellToTheNo:_ nope white boy I was gonna ask the same thing. do any of you guys know what went down?

_Puckzilla:_ just mind your own business

_HellToTheNo:_ whoa what's with the hatin? did queen Fabray and demon Diva let you in on their little secret?

_Puckzilla:_ it's their lives so just chill the fuck out and stop being such a gossip mongrel

_WhiteChocolate:_ we're only gossip mongrels when there is something to gossip ABOUT, so spill

_TroutyMouth: _i'm interested in hearing your explanation to that too. is there something you know that we don't?

_Puckzilla_: whatever i'm not saying a thing to you guys. just leave them the fuck alone. i'm out of here.

- _Puckzilla_ has left the chatroom

_DancerChang94: _what was that all about?

_TroutyMouth:_ dunno. he has been acting all buddy buddy with Quinn and Rachel lately though, so maybe he does know something

_WhiteChocolate:_ we totally need to find out what he knows. i have and have had hunches, but we need verification

_TinaCChang:_ or we could actually do what he says and leave it alone. this seems like a situation that is too delicate to mess up

_DancerChang94:_ i kind of agree. maybe you should just let it be

_WhiteChocolate: _well of course you agree. no surprise there. there IS a surprise with the "accidental" kiss on friday. i'm calling BS on the accidental part

_HellToTheNo:_ absolutely. no way does uptight ice queen bitch Quinn Fabray kiss a GIRL on accident alone

_TroutyMouth:_ i dunno, it seemed like she didn't mean to. sure her and Rachel were standing a little close, but other than that it was only because Santana fell on Quinn

_WhiteChocolate:_ shit what am I going to tell Finn?

_HellToTheNo:_ tell him the truth

_WhiteChocolate:_ easy for you to say, you don't live with him. he'll go crazy!

_TroutyMouth: _why? it's not like he's going out with either one of them anymore

_TinaCChang:_ try telling HIM that. he always acts like he has rights over his ex-girlfriends. it's insane

_WhiteChocolate:_ OMG this whole situation is wack. somebody find out what Puck knows!

_TinaCChang:_ i still think we should leave this alone

_DancerChang94:_ and i still agree

_HellToTheNo:_ surprise surprise

_DancerChang94:_ you guys really do suck

- _DancerChang94_ has left the chatroom

_TinaCChang: _yeah its kinda pathetic

- _TinaCChang_ has left the chatroom

_HellToTheNo:_ whatever they're just cowards

_TroutyMouth:_ not really. i'm curious, but i'm not going to stick my nose where it doesn't belong like you two are bound to do

_WhiteChocolate:_ it's only to gather valuable information

_TroutyMouth:_ you keep telling yourself that

- _TroutyMouth_ has left the chatroom

_WhiteChocolate:_ i don't want to agree with them, but make sure you don't take it too far. ima make sure I am very delicate with what I do or say. you do the same

_HellToTheNo:_ yeah sure fine but why do you care about that? its just gossip

_WhiteChocolate:_ because at least one of my friends might get hurt if we aren't careful

- _WhiteChocolate_ has left the chatroom

_HellToTheNo: dafuq does that mean?_

- _HellToTheNo_ has left the chatroom

* * *

**QPOV**

"Hey!" I said in a simply exuberant voice as I hopped off the stairs. "What's up?"

Rachel looked at me with one eye wide and an eyebrow quirked, and the other squinting with the eyebrow furrowed. You know those comical looks of confusion that are often on really cheesy TV shows? Yeah she had one of those.

"Ummmmm nothing much, I guess. Making coffee… for… you… who doesn't seem to need it…"

"Nope, I'm fine, but thanks for the consideration!"

This time her other eyebrow furrowed until she was just staring disbelievingly at me.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing! I'm just being happy! _Don't worry be happy now wheeeeee!"_

"No, happy is 'yay I just got a car.' You are 'five year-old hopped up on seven energy drinks.'"

"Oh, hey, can we go to the mall today? Pleeeeeaaassseeee? Pretty pretty pleeeaaaaseee?"

"Okay, you have gone loco. Bonkers, round the bend, cuckoo, crazy, insane, mad, bananas, all of the above. Now," she said, steering me back up the stairs, "go get on the elliptical and don't get off until you can act like a normal human being."

"Wait, if I act like a normal human being now does that mean I get to go back downstairs?"

"Yes. Yes it does."

"Okay. I'm fine. I was just… uhh… momentary bout of insanity?"

"Uh huh," Rachel said disbelievingly, "surrreee. So weird," she muttered under her breath.

I grinned cheekily and walked past her back down the stairs.

"Can we make pancakes?" I called over my shoulder.

* * *

My previous attempt at cheeriness and pep having failed, I was now trying to be extremely helpful to try and appease the Santana-voice in my head. However, this was failing about as equally.

"Ugh, just give me that!" Rachel growled after my fifth futile attempt to add egg substitute to the pancake batter. I handed over the measuring cup and box of yellow powder and went to sit at the island, staring at the brunette work her magic.

"What was I supposed to do? That stuff is hard to figure out," I said indignantly as Rachel got the procedure perfectly right the first try.

"No it's not," She said while stirring the brown gooey mass. "Anyways, aren't you supposed to be, like, an amazing cook like the typical 1950's housewife or something?"

"Yeah, but everything I know how to cook has dairy, eggs, or meat in it."

"Ah, I can almost hear the little voices of those murdered animals," Rachel turned to me with wide eyes, "_help me… help me please… I don't want to be bacon…"_

I reached across the black granite countertop and tried to whack the girl's arm, but she danced out of the way before I could, all the while laughing maniacally. My eyes followed her as she spun and twirled, holding the glass bowl and wooden spoon. She stopped after a while and grabbed a metal scoop to use with the pancake batter. A loud sizzling filled the air as the wetness hit the griddle, and I grinned in delight.

Pancakes always reminded me of the few times in my childhood when my family would actually seem like they loved and cared about each other. Saturday mornings with my mother in the kitchen and my father reading the paper; my sister and I goofing around and acting like – well – kids. The way I could call my dad "Daddy" and believe that he would always be there for me. The years before I bridged into teenage, when my parents would not drink. The moments when I could go to my big sister with anything, and she would hold me when I cried and laugh when I laughed. A few errant tears sprang to my eyes, but I dashed them away quickly. No crying. This isn't about me. Everything lately has been about me, and it makes me sick. See how much I say "me"? Ick.

"So can we go to the mall?"

Rachel spun to stare at me with a cautious expression.

"Do I need to make you get on the elliptical?"

"Uh, no." I quirked an eyebrow at her skepticism. "I'm not being hyper. I'm just asking. We don't do much, and, as you said, it is a perfectly good Saturday."

"Oh. Okay. Sure, we can do that." Rachel suddenly became a ball of motion. "If we leave at wait what time is it eleven if we leave at twelve thirty we can get there at twelve forty five and then we would probably only stay there for about three point six two hours due to our individual shopping tendencies combined and the weight of the bags and then if we go to seven stores since the Lima mall is so tiny then that should be about um let me see oh wait I should factor in time for food and just general extra time so that would be three point one two divided by seven is about point four four six times sixty is about twenty seven minutes per store-"

"Oh. My. God."

Rachel stopped talking and looked at me.

"No itinerary. Don't think about it. Don't worry about it. We are going to go there, and spend however long we want to in each store, okay? If we spend 33 minutes rather than 27 in each store or if we go to 3 stores and not 7, it _does not matter_, got that? Life is based on spur of the moment decisions."

Rachel opened her mouth as if to protest, but snapped it shut quickly and turned to flip over the now-golden-brown pancake. This continued in silence for a few minutes, before I let out a loud sigh and slid off the bar stool.

"Where ya going?" The singer called after me as I ran up the stairs to her room and ran back down just as quickly. I appeared breathless with my iPod in hand, and plugged it into the below-cabinet hanging dock. Switching on Pandora, I resumed my original seat at the island.

"Oh, this is my favorite happy song!" Rachel squealed excitedly after a few seconds. I cocked my head to listen closely to the guitar melody, and I smiled as I recognized it. It's my favorite too…

We both started singing along as soon as the vocals started, and Rachel and I shared a small smile.

_I've been awake for a while now_

_You've got me feeling like a child now_

_Cause every time I see your bubbly face_

_I get the tinglies in a silly place_

_It starts in my toes_

_And I crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time _

_Wherever you go_

_The rain is falling on my windowpane_

_But we are hiding in a safer place_

_Under covers staying dry and warm_

_You give me feelings that I adore_

_They start in my toes _

_Make me crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes _

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time _

_Wherever you go_

_But what am I gonna say?_

_When you make me feel this way_

_I just_

_Mmm_

_And it starts in my toes_

_Makes me I crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time _

_Wherever you go_

_I've been asleep for a while now_

_You tuck me in just like a child now_

_Cause every time you hold me in your arms_

_I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth_

_It starts in my soul _

_And I lose all control_

_When you kiss my nose_

_The feeling shows_

_Cause you make me smile _

_Just take your time now_

_Holding me tight_

_Wherever_

_Wherever_

_Wherever you go_

_Wherever _

_Wherever_

_Wherever you go_

_Wherever you go_

_I always know_

_Cause you make me smile_

_Even just for a while_

Any doubt of Rachel's and my friendship vanished as we grinned at each other. Everything would be all right. Everything would be fine. No way does a friendship like this go away because of petty conflicts. She turned back to the cast-iron griddle, still with a smile on her face.

I heard the first few measures of the next song float through the speakers, and this time it was my turn to squeal excitedly. My feet hit the floor and I started doing random dances around Rachel. She giggled and pushed me back a little. I refused to move, and instead stood closer to her so that I could sing in her ear.

_I miss the sound of your voice_

_I miss the rush of your skin_

_And I miss the still of the silence_

_As you breathe out_

_And I breathe in_

She giggled again as my breath hit her ear, and smacked me in the arm, sending me back with a comical shocked expression.

_If I could walk on water_

_If I could tell you what's next_

_Make you believe_

_And make you forget_

I started dancing in circles again, doing everything from the chicken dance to a jig.

_So come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_I miss the sound of your voice_

_Loudest thing in my head_

_And I ache to remember_

_All the violent, sweet,_

_Perfect words you said_

_If I could walk on water_

_If I could tell you what's next_

_Make you believe_

_And make you forget_

_So come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_I miss the pull of your heart_

_I miss the sparks on your tongue_

_And I see angels and devils and god when you_

_Come on_

_Hold on_

_Hold on_

_Hold on_

_Hold on!_

_Sing sha la la la _

_Sing sha la la la _

_Ooh_

_Come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

_So come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me _

_Drown me_

_In love_

_So wrong_

_So wrong_

_So right_

_So come on_

_Higher_

_Come on get_

_Higher_

_Cause everything works_

_Everything works in your_

_Arms_

"Woohoo!" I yelled, sliding down to my knees and throwing up rock n' roll hand gestures. Rachel looked down at me, smirked, and shook her head.

"Tell me again why I hang out with you?"

I stood up and leant back against the counter, throwing my head back to look like one of those weird-ass Vogue models.

"Because I'm… wait for it… AWESOME."

"Psh," she scoffed, "as if."

"Oh, you know it and just don't want to admit that I am that awesome."

"Yeah, because that's _totally_ the issue."

We both looked at each other for a second, before bursting into random laughter. This, this is what I have been missing out on. How could I _not_ have known this girl for my entire life? It's crazy! My eyes looked around the kitchen before suddenly lighting on the stove. I smirked and pointed.

"I think the pancakes burned."

Rachel turned around to see the discs completely blackened and hardened.

"Oh _shit!_" This brought me back into peals of laughter, and Rachel glared at me after hurriedly turning off the burner and trashing the ruined pancakes.

"This is all your fault, you know," She said, pointing her spatula oh-so-_menacingly_ at me. I just cracked up even more. "If you hadn't distracted me, I would not have had to waste those precious, golden pastries…" She looked up into the space above my head dramatically.

I snickered. "They're not pastries."

Her eyes flicked back down to me again in annoyance. "Well, whatever the hell they are, you made me waste them."

An ad cut me off before I started speaking, and I listened closely to what seemed like something very odd.

_"Do you… do it?"_

_"Do you do it enough?"_

_"Do you wish you had more time to do it?"_

I raised an eyebrow at Rachel, who had an equally confused expression. We both continued listening, before the point of the advertisement became clear.

"_With Carbonite, you can take backing up your computer off your 'to-do' list."_

"Ohhh," we let out a sigh of understanding in unison. We did the same exchange of looks before bursting into laughter, even though it was only about half as funny as we made it seem like.

"I was worried for a second there," I said in relief.

"Me too," Rachel said in the same tone. "I've heard some pretty weird commercials, but that was going down the road of being the very weirdest."

"Oh, hey, have you heard this song?" I asked suddenly.

Rachel cocked her head much like I had earlier, and listened for several seconds. She finally shook her head, and I grinned. I held my hand out for her in a very gentlemanly fashion, and the girl raised her eyebrow at me.

"Seeing as you have no flammable dishes to tend to, would you care to dance, Mademoiselle?"

She gave me an unsure look, but took my hand anyway. I spun her so our hands were held out to the side, and her hand rested on my shoulder. I gingerly placed my hand on her waist, and started to sing the lyrics to (in my opinion) one of the greatest songs in the past two years as I stepped forward and she stepped backward.

_You can dance-every dance with the guy  
Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight  
You can smile-every smile for the man  
Who held your hand underneath the pale moon light  
But don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darlin' save the last dance for me_

I spun Rachel around, and she giggled before spinning back and falling back into step. Her dancing lessons really paid off…

_Oh I know that the music's fine  
Like sparkling wine, go and have your fun  
Laugh and sing, but while we're apart  
Don't give your heart to anyone  
But don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darlin' save the last dance for me_

Baby don't you know I love you so  
Can't you feel it when we touch  
I will never, never let you go  
I love you oh so much

You can dance, go and carry on  
Till the night is gone  
And it's time to go  
If he asks if you're all alone  
Can he walk you home, you must tell him no  
'Cause don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
Save the last dance for me

Oh I know that the music's fine  
Like sparkling wine, go and have your fun  
Laugh and sing, but while we're apart  
Don't give your heart to anyone

And don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darling, save the last dance for me

So don't forget who's taking you home  
Or in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darling, Save the last dance for me

Oh baby won't you save the last dance for me  
Oh baby won't you promise that you'll save,  
The last dance for me  
Save the last dance, the very last dance for me.

"What are you doing?" A gruff voice startled us, causing us to jump apart like static shock had passed between our hands. Rachel and I stuttered and stammered until she recovered and responded to her father's question.

"Uh- um, well, you know, just… dancing. You know. In the kitchen. Like totally normal and sane people. We made pancakes!" She took advantage of this topic to turn and grab the plate piled high with the finished… err… pastries, or whatever they are; and to show them to her Dad. He turned and squinted at me in accusation.

"Oh God, you aren't a morning person too, are you? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to survive if I'm living with _three_ pep-filled jack-in-the-boxes in the morning."

I laugh at the similarity his concern has with my previous question to Rachel.

"Nope, I normally need three cups of coffee before I function at a satisfactory level of consciousness."

He nodded in understanding and walked towards Rachel, grabbing three pancakes off the plate and carrying them back upstairs. I attempt to do the same thing, but Rachel catches me by the back of my shirt as I try to walk away, pulling me back towards her.

"Don't follow his example, Quinn. It's not a very polite or civilized one. Good role model, thy name is not Hiram Berry," Rachel muttered under her breath.

At that moment, the other Mr. Berry entered the room, and greeted Rachel and me with the same enthusiasm as the brunette girl had.

"Hello Quinn, Rachel! How are you two on this fine morning?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"We're doing great, Daddy!"

"Well that's always a good thing to hear! Ooh, yum, panca-" Leroy's reach for the plate was cut off by the doorbell ringing.

"_Nobody_ gets in the way of me and my flapjacks…" He grumbled in annoyance, but went to the door anyway. Rachel set down the plate and followed, with me a step behind her. The words I heard before I reached the door made my heart drop like a stone into the very pit of my stomach.

"Hello Mr. Berry, I'm Judy Fabray: Quinn's mother."

* * *

I elbowed my way past Rachel and her dad to stare at my mother. She looked completely different than she did the last time I saw her, even though it was only a couple days ago. Rather than the unkempt, broken, pathetic excuse for humanity I had seen that day; now stood a collected, calm, and yet sincere woman whose eyes shone with unvoiced apologies. She was wearing jeans and a casual short-sleeved shirt; I had never seen my mother dress this way before. Whenever my father was around, the women of the house were expected to dress and act like _proper ladies_; and after he left my mother didn't care at all about how she looked or dress.

"What are you doing here?" I grated out harshly. She flinched back like she had been stung, but got right to the point.

"I stopped drinking. I got help. I'm trying to get bett-"

"I don't believe you," I said as I made to close the door.

"Wait!" She cried as the door was halfway shut. She started digging around in her pocket, before triumphantly pulling out a white disc that looked like a poker chip. She held it out to me, and I opened the door again, grabbing the object and inspecting it. The front had two A's written side-by-side in gold in the center. I checked the back, but there was nothing on it. I flipped it back to the front and stared some more. My thumb ran along the ridged edges, and I sighed before handing it back.

"What is it?"

"It's a white chip," She said. "It signifies being sober and in Alcoholics Anonymous for at least one day."

My eyebrows shot up, most likely blending in with my hairline.

"Seriously?" I asked in disbelief. She smiled a little.

"Yes, seriously. Now, I know that I can't make you come back, and that's not what I'm trying to do. I went to my very first meeting on Thursday morning, and they told me as soon as I walked in that I can't control anything or anyone other than myself." The woman stuck her hands in her pockets and seemed to try and rally her courage. "I just thought you might like to know that I am trying to be the mother you deserve."

I stood still, with my mouth hung open and my hands fallen, useless, at my sides. My mother turned and stepped towards the porch steps. Turning back a bit towards the door, she addressed the Berry's, who were standing just as still as I was.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. and Miss Berry. Have a good afternoon." She then turned and walked down the steps and down the sidewalk, stopping at her car, which was parked a few houses down. Right before the blonde woman got into the driver's side, she looked up and stared at me forlornly. She then got in, started the car, and drove off in the direction of her- no, _our_ house.

A gentle touch on my elbow led me to remember where I was. I turned to see Rachel's chocolate eyes staring up at me with concern.

"I- I'll be fine. I just… I need a minute." I pulled away gently and walked into another room, looking for somewhere safe. My eyes lighted upon a closet in the corner, and I walked briskly towards it. Pulling open the folding door, I walked inside and shut myself in. I slid to the ground and brought my knees up to my chest, hugging them to my body and rocking back and forth. My head sometimes thumped against the wall, but I paid no attention.

Soon the repetitive motion had a soothing effect on me, and my insides stopped twisting themselves into knots. My emotions started to slowly pull away from turmoil, and I took an objective look at the situation. This really wasn't _that_ bad. I wasn't forced to do anything I didn't want to. My mom got help. I can choose when I go back home. Overall, this was actually pretty good. But then why do I feel so upset? Ugh, emotions.

I groaned and stood up, my back and neck aching from the position I had been sitting in. I slid open the closet door and walked out and back to where Rachel and her dad were still standing.

"You doing okay?" Rachel asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Okay, well let's just chill out today. I doubt you will want to do much of anything after a bombshell like tha-"

"No," I cut her off, "I need to do something, anything to distract myself. _Not_ doing anything just gives me more time to throw a pity party."

"But-"

"Please?" I pleaded, cutting Rachel off again. She looked like she as going to try and protest again, before shutting her mouth and giving me a small nod. She came to stand next to me, and slipped her hand into mine. I smiled a little and interlaced our fingers. The small warmth our linked hands exuded seemed like the sun, and I could bask in it for hours.

* * *

"Ooh! That one over there is cute! Let's go look at it!" Rachel squealed and tugged at my hand as she pulled me in the direction of the next interesting thing she had found. I grinned and followed her, shaking my head at her excitement. Note to self: shopping with Rachel is exhausting.

I clicked my tongue disapprovingly at the sweater that the brunette girl in question as holding up to her front.

"What?" She asked, looking down at how the sweater looked.

"Please don't tell me you're actually considering that." She rolled her eyes at me, but hung the sweater back on the rack anyway and turned to walk away.

"You can't just turn down all the things I pick out. Not everybody can have your fashion sense, you know."

"Can I give you a makeover?" I asked, having just thought of that stroke of brilliance. Rachel stopped in her tracks and turned to stare at me.

"You most certainly may not!"

"But why not?"

"B- because, it – I – you – ah – erm – ahem – you just can't!"

"Give me one good reason."

"Well… uh… there's… um… you know… that thing."

I arched an eyebrow and stared some more at the stammering girl.

"'That thing'? _That's_ your good reason?"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed, accompanied by an adorable little foot-stamp.

"Why would you want to, anyway?"

I grinned and replied, "Because it would be fun. And with the right clothes you could look amazing."

It was now Rachel's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Not that you don't anyway!" I covered quickly. "Just, you know, _more_ amazing."

"Open mouth, insert foot."

"Whatever," I growled. "Anyways, can I give you a makeover?"

"Hmm…" Rachel paused for a minute, seriously considering the idea. "You know what, to hell with it, sure you can."

"Really?"

"As long as I get to veto anything I want."

"Totally."

_Yeah right_, I thought.

"I'm going to hate myself for this, aren't I?" She asked after a second. I grinned.

"Yup. Hang on, I have to make a phone call real quick. Go find a bench or something," I said, nodding towards the benches by the fountain outside the store we had just exited. Rachel nodded and skipped – yes, _skipped_ – away. I shook my head and pulled out my iPhone.

The phone rang a couple times before the other end of the line picked up.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey Kurt! Long time no… talk!"

_"Erm. I guess. Why are you talking to me again? You kind of dissed the option of being friendly with me after you regained your position on top of the social pyramid."_

"Oh, by the way, I'm really sorry about that. I realize that I couldn't really count on any of the people that I was only friends with because of popularity. I'm sorry I sort of rejected you…"

_"Sort of?"_

"I'm sorry."

_"Apology accepted. Mercedes says I forgive easily. So what's up?"_

"Guess who I just convinced to let us give a makeover to? Here's a hint: she's short, she has brown hair, and she can be really annoying. Oh, and she sings amazingly."

_"Oh My God you're kidding!"_

"Nope. Completely serious."

_"How? I thought that was a feat that no one could achieve."_

"A little thing called 'logic and reason'."

_"Who knew that would work on Rachel?"_

"Dunno. I sure as hell didn't think it would."

_"Oh, this will be so fun!"_

"I know, right? We're at the mall, so I've got the clothes part covered. You want to meet at Rachel's house tomorrow for everything else?"

_"Sure, that works. It's not like I have a life or anything._"

"Uh…"

_"The sad thing is that that wasn't sarcasm."_

"Meh, it happens to the best of us."

_"I bet. Ok, see you tomorrow?"_

"Yeah, see you then!"

_"Bye, Quinn._"

"Bye."

I ended the call and slid my phone back into my pocket. I strode over to where Rachel was standing stock-still, staring off in another direction. She looked like she was seeing a ghost.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" I asked in concern. My eyes followed the brunette's line of vision to see another girl that I did not recognize walking up to us. She was very tan, but naturally – not like Snooki. Her long, blondish-brown hair tumbled over her shoulders captivatingly, looking perfectly styled even in obvious disarray. Her entire presence was this way. She looked perfect and, frankly, beautiful; despite the lack of apparent effort she had put into her appearance. She was wearing a red fitted V-neck t-shirt, and white and silver boys' basketball shorts; but she could have been wearing a Grammy's dress for all it mattered. Freckles delicately dusted her face, and her piercing green eyes captivated anyone looking.

The girl came to a stop in front of us, and Rachel reached out and grabbed my arm in a vice-like grip. She dragged me next to her side, still holding above my elbow with steel fingers.

"Rachel! Oh my goodness I would not expect to find you here! Long time no see!" The girl exclaimed excitedly, focusing on Rachel, who was still pale as a sheet. Rachel started to stammer and stutter, but the other girl briskly turned to me, seeming to have just noticed me standing there.

"Oh, how rude of me!" She held out a hand for me to shake. "I'm Nicole Goetz; I'm Rachel's… erm… _friend_. And you are?"

**A/N: Hey there guys! Sorry I didn't update on Tuesday like I said I would. I had an optometrist appointment, ick. If anyone cares, apparently there is a limit to how much I can see, and no amount of glasses will ever change that. -_- Whatever. But I did write ****_some_**** on Tuesday. And every free waking moment from then to now. Hence, why this chapter is SO FREAKING LONG, but I figured y'all wouldn't mind. There just didn't seem a suitable place to break it into two. Also, thank you to everyone who responded to my author's note! I did read ****_each and every single one of your suggestions,_**** and those of my RL friends who read this story. If your suggestion doesn't show up in the story, that in no way means that I didn't like it or anything. But I do already have a general plot planned out for the story, and it might not have fit with it. I'm that weird kid in my geometry class that daydreams about the climax scene of their fanfiction story :) But a lot of your suggestions spurred stuff in my brain that then generated ideas for plot changes. So thanks. Please tell me what you think of this chapter and of the story in general! Yay! Peace out. :)**

**PS: The songs were Bubbly by Colbie Caillat, Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson, and Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Bublè. **

**PPS: I will ****_probably_**** be posting another chapter on Monday. However, I might not if I'm working on another really long chapter like this one.**

**PPPS (last one I promise): hint - chapter 10  
**


	25. I Will CUT YOU

I don't own Glee, or I'm pretty sure everyone in my version would be gay…

Chapter 25 (wow I can't believe it's gotten this far…)

A/N: If you don't know who Nicole is, reread chapter 10. THIS IS IMPORTANT. This chapter will not make sense to you unless you REREAD CHAPTER 10. 'Kay thanks.

**QPOV**

No, it couldn't be. Could it? Was she… _her_? No way. It wasn't possible. I turned to Rachel, who was still paler than I've ever seen her.

"Is she…?" I trailed off, pointing to the girl in front of me, who had dropped her extended hand. Rachel pressed her lips in a thin line and nodded jerkily. Rage bubbled up inside of me, and I turned back to Nicole with a fire in my eyes. I stepped forward, but suddenly realized that Rachel was still gripping my arm, and was holding me back. The singer's face slowly regained color, and she stepped in front of me, cutting off any attempts I could make to beat the shit out of the girl standing in front of us.

"Hey Nicole! How have you been?" Rachel asked in an almost-cheery voice. Any worry that had been present on the freckled girl's face melted away, and she seemed to regain new vigor by Rachel's response.

"I'm fine. How about you? You look great!"

A roar filled my ears, and all other sound was drowned out. For a few moments I could still see the polite exchange happening, but then my vision was covered by a haze of red. How _dare_ she? How dare that bitch try to come back in my girl's life? No fucking way was I going to let that happen.

"What are you doing here?" I interjected bluntly into their conversation of niceties. Nicole gave me a confused and slightly offended look.

"I'm sorry?"

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here." I enunciated every word very clearly, as if talking to someone with hearing issues. Rachel's grip on my arm tightened, and she frowned at me.

"Quinn! Be nice!" She turned back to Nicole. "I believe what she meant to say, less rudely, was how did you end up here, in _Lima, Ohio_ of all places?"

The other girl's face brightened considerably, and she grinned at Rachel. A beast seated deep in my sternum roared and fought to claw its way out and rip this imposing being to shreds.

"My dad got a transfer here. You remember he worked for Bank of America, in North Carolina?" Rachel nodded. "Yeah, so he was miserable; but then he got offered a job at the Wal-Mart corporate office. Which just happens to be here, in Lima." She shrugged and looked around.

"Do you know anybody here? Relatives, friends, something like that?" Rachel asked with her (hopefully) falsely intrigued voice.

"Not anybody other than you," Nicole replied with a gracious smirk. "Oh, hey, do you know anyone that goes to Mc… McKibble? McKurley? Something like that. It's a high school somewhere around here."

"McKinley? William McKinley High?" Asked Rachel. She smiled. "Yeah, I know a few people."

"Oh really? Who? Maybe I could go into a new school with a couple friends." Nicole asked curiously.

"Ahem, well there's Kurt Hummel, Santana Lopez, Brittany Pierce, Noah Puckerman, Quinn here," I growled a little at being held back by Rachel's concealed hand even now, "oh, and me!"

"You're kidding!" The other girl said incredulously. "Are you serious? Eep! This will be so awesome!"

A small part of me – actually it was a rather large part of me – died inside as I saw the good-natured, casual manner in which the two interacted. It was as if… as if they had been friends for years. As if they had been best friends, in fact. As if they had gotten closer to each other than they had to anyone else… It was as if nothing had changed between them.

"Yeah! You should join the Glee Club, we have tons of friends in there, and you'll fit in really well!" Rachel's voice broached my thoughts.

"Oh, I missed you so much when you left after the summer of '08. It just wasn't really the same. I mean, come on, we were _the_ duo among anyone we knew!" Nicole pouted a little, causing Rachel's eyes to twinkle in a way that made my throat contract in a mini-gag. "You can't have a duo with only one."

_No dip, Sherlock. Where'd you learn that? Summer school?_

This particular errant thought almost made its way out of my mouth. That couldn't happen. The distinction between my mind and my mouth was vast, but right now it shrank to almost nonexistent. No way could this happen. I was being vicious in my head. Very, very vicious, using all my HBIC powers directed at this _pompous_-ass girl that _dared_ to come crawling back here.

"I thought you got together with Pablo?" Rachel asked. This time, I really could hear the painful tightness in her voice. The muscles in her jaw and temple clenched, and I'm betting she was gritting her teeth. Nicole waved her hand nonchalantly.

"We broke up after a few months. He cheated on me."

Rachel's face hardened, and she replied bitterly, "I wonder what that feels like."

After a few moments of awkward silence, she plastered on her happy-face again, and retracted her statement.

"Sorry about that. No use opening up old wounds, eh?"

"I guess. I'm really sorry about that, by the way."

_Sorry? You're SORRY? Who the hell do you think you are, coming back here saying you're SORRY? How can that even come CLOSE to making up for what you did? What the fuck kind of jacked up sequence of events happened in your head to make you think "sorry" would make it all better? You're delusional!_

Rachel's grip on my arm tightened considerably, although for my benefit or hers I was not sure.

"That was the cruelest thing I've ever done-"

"No shit," muttered Rachel.

"- and I'm not sure how to make up for it."

This time I really did successfully yank my arm away from Rachel. Her body and grip had pretty much grown limp anyway at Nicole's words. I gently pushed my girl to the side and held her there, both supporting her and keeping her in place. I also made sure to use as much power and authority as I could when talking to Nicole, so that my words would have maximum impact.

"Well, you can start by actually giving a _decent_ apology. You know, maybe one that has a tad of, oh, I don't know, _sincerity_? And _thoughtfulness_? Ask some people who have actually made apologies before what you're supposed to do. But until then, quite acting like everything's fine when it's not." I spun away from the freckled girl, who was standing stock-still, much like Rachel had been, with confusion, guilt, and a bit fear in her eyes. I walked away without a backwards glance, half-dragging Rachel along with me. I'm pretty sure she waved a couple times behind my back, but I did not let her go until we got outside the doors to the mall.

"What happened to you in there?" I asked her in a brusque voice. Rachel looked down at the ground and shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," I let out an exasperated sigh. "You basically laid down and let her walk all over you! How could you act like that, after everything she's done to you?"

"I- I don't know. It just seemed like… like I just _couldn't_ be mad at her. I mean, it wasn't like it was her fault or anything-"

"Yes it was! It was completely and totally her fault! Rachel, she _cheated_ on you." The brunette jerked back at the word, as if she had been slapped.

"But she had made a mist-"

"Yes! Yes, she made a mistake; but that does not excuse her for it. And neither you nor she can just go around acting like it never happened, because it did, and there's nothing you can do to undo that."

"But maybe if-"

"Rachel," I grasped her by the shoulders, and forced her to look at me. "You can't pretend that everything is fine. You just can't. Don't internalize. It will not turn out well. Look," I said, letting go of the diva and pinching the bridge of my nose, "if you really do want be friends with her, it's not like I can stop you. But, by God, she better have begged and scraped until she bled before you do so. You deserve so much better…" I muttered the last part, not sure if Rachel had heard me.

"Thank you," she said after a short silence. "I get that you really care. I really do. And I think some of my bitterness is coming back, so you don't have to worry too much about me."

I wasn't sure whether she was serious or making a joke. The small smile that played across her lips was as mysterious as the Mona Lisa. I shrugged and pulled the shorter girl into a side hug, leaving my arm around her shoulders as we walked to the car.

"Oh, wait!" Rachel cried, stopping in her tracks and almost making me fall down.

"What?" I asked exasperatedly. What in the world could have gotten into this girl's head now?

"We didn't buy anything!"

"You are not going back in there, under any circumstances." I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the car again. She glared at me.

"This is all your fault."

"My fault?" I gasped, placing a hand over my heart in a theatrical flourish. Rachel sniffed and turned away from me, ignoring my gaze, while getting into the passenger seat.

"Yes. If you hadn't discounted _every single choice_ I made, we wouldn't have this issue."

I snickered and shook my head, sliding into the driver's side and starting the car.

"Whatever. They all sucked." I ignored Rachel's indignant gasp. "How about this! We'll go tomorrow with _Kurt_."

The other girl groaned and fell backwards into her seat, glancing up at the ceiling of the car.

"What did I ever do to deserve such overly-helpful friends?"

I grinned.

* * *

_"Satan here, for all of your evil needs."_

"Oh, believe me; I'm not letting you anywhere near my evil needs." I grinned.

_"Aww man, I was looking for a way to tap that…"_

"Yeah, you wish."

_"Well, there are always my dreams. And memories of that party in the summer before sophomore year…"_

"Whatever Santana. I was drunk. You can't hold that against me."

_"If I said I want your body now, would you hold it against me?" _She sang over the phone.

"No. No I wouldn't. Anyways, I actually have something pretty serious to talk to you about."

_"Oh? Do tell. What did the cat drag in this time?"_

"Rachel's ex-girlfriend." I heard the sound of liquid being expelled rapidly from an orifice. I'm guessing that would've been a spit-take on Santana's end of the line. Spluttering came next, and the phone sounded like it was dropped a couple times. Finally, Santana got herself together and could speak.

_"Fuck. Seriously?"_ I nodded rapidly, but realized she couldn't see me. Mental facepalm…

"Yeah. I met her today. Complete bitch." Well, actually…

_"Really? Huh. Rachel doesn't seem like the type who would go after a bitchy girl. But then again, there's you…"_

"Fuck you. But I digress. So, on second thought, I guess she's not really that bad. Actually, she's kind of nice. Her name is Nicole, and she's _stunning_," I spat out the word like it was poison. "Like, even Kurt would be able to tell you that she's pretty easy on the eyes."

_"Whoa. When do I get to meet her?_" A muffled "ow" came across the line, and some mumbling that sounded remarkably like Brittany floated through.

"Hey Britt."

_"Oh, uh, hey Quinn. Hang on; I'm putting you on speaker." _A variety of sounds suddenly infiltrated the line, and some faint "meow's" reached my ears. Ah, Lord T…

_"So, again, when are we going to meet her?_"

"Monday."

_"No way. She's not… is she going to McKinley?"_

"Unfortunately. As if my life wasn't bad as it was…"

_"Bro, why you hatin' on this Nicole girl so much? Isn't that Rachel's job? Oh, how _is_ my little hobbit reacting?"_

"See, that's the thing. Rachel should hate her. But she doesn't. You should've seen it; it was like they were best buds all over again."

_"Whoa whoa whoa back up. So are they friends, or what?"_

"They were, like, best friends or some shit like that, and then they went out, and then Nicole cheated on Rach, and they haven't seen each other since."

_"How's that work? Lima is so fucking tiny."_

"Nicole lived in North Carolina. I think Rachel went there over a summer or something. It was the summer after eighth grade."

_"That was the summer you moved here, right?"_

"Uh, yeah, I guess it was. Why does that matter?"

_"Nothing, just thought it was interesting. So, what, this girl moved here now?"_

"Pretty much, yeah."

_"And now, lemme guess, Rach is trying to act like nothing happened, right?_"

"Bingo."

_"I like Bingo!"_ I laughed, as Brittany's random interjection immediately lightened my mood. _"Can we play Bingo, San?" "Yes, we can play Bingo later. But right now let's listen to Q." "Oh, okay." "You never answered my question, Quinn. Why do you hate this girl so much?"_

"I'm not entirely sure… I guess because she caused Rachel to have so many insecurities and issues with her self-esteem. Also, now she's scared to love anybody."

_"Sound like anyone we know, Britt?" "Yeah! Qu- mmph ffgrh wmple gdge." "Overshare, darlin'."_

"Having issues there, Santana?"

_"Nuuuu. Nunya. So what do you want to do come Monday? Shall we slushy her, marking a new loser to throw in with the masses at McKinley?"_

I sighed. I really, _really_ wanted to do that. It would be one of the most satisfying things ever…

"No, we can't. Rach would hate us." Santana gasped in response.

_"_My_ hobbit would hate me? How ever would I be able to deal with such a travesty? Never in my _life_ would I think that Rachel Berry would hate me!"_ Her overly-dramatic flair dripped with sarcasm, causing me to scowl.

_"Oh, come on San. You would be bothered if Rachie started hating you." "Yeah, whatever."_

I grinned in victory. In Santanaspeak, "Yeah, whatever" basically meant "I would cry and sob and eat so much ice cream if she hated me."

"I feel like a matchmaker! Of friends, of course."

_"Don't get too cocky, Fabray. I can still kick your ass."_

"Yeah right. We both know I could take you down in an instant."

_"And _I_ could break you both into itty-bitty smithereens with one finger, so shuddup." _ I laughed at Brittany's statement. So true.

_"Again, you still didn't answer my question. What are you going to do on Monday?"_

"I don't know. Maybe we could just ignore her and she'll go away…?" I said hopefully.

_"Yeah, right. Poof and she's gone! Sorry to break it to you honey, but life don't work that way."_

"Ugh I know. But what am I supposed to do? I'm hoping that Rachel won't give her the time of day, but there's no way that's going to happen."

_"We're just going to have to try and protect our little munchkin as much as we can, aren't we? Come on, we are the three most powerful bitches at WMHS. I think we can take on one new girl."_

"But no slushies."

_"God, you take the fun out of _everything_."_

"Oh, believe me, I would be the first to throw that first cup of death straight at her so-fucking-beautiful face. But we can't."

_"Not even-"_

"No. We have to be nice."

_"How the hell will I be-" "You can be nice, so just let some of that out." "Gosh Britt, just shout out to the whole world that I'm this giant ball of mush, why dontcha?" _

"Stop being snippy. And dramatic. It doesn't suit you."

_"Whatever. I'm hanging up now." "You can't hang up on me." "I would never hang up on you…"_

"D'awwwww…"

_"GO AWAY FABRAY. Ooh, that rhymed!"_

"Cough *dork* cough."

_"I repeat: GO AWAY FABRAY. Toodles, see you tomorrow sometime. We best be hanging out tomorrow. Oh, and you can bring Berry if you want."_

"See, you _do_ like her!"

_"I never denied it."_

"Okay, bye."

_"Geronimooooo-" _The line went dead. I shook my head and smiled to myself at my friends' antics.

* * *

"Who's zat?" Rachel mumbled sleepily, sitting up on the other side of the couch and looking at me.

"Our two favorite Cheerios."

She grunted in acknowledgement and flopped back down, accidentally hitting her head on the table beside the arm rest.

"Owwwww…" She groaned, sitting up again with a hand held against her head.

"Serves you right," I said in a casual tone. "Who takes a nap on a Saturday anyway?"

"Me," She groaned again. "Who also needs an ice pack… Owwww…"

I relented and stood up, tucking my phone in my pocket. I went into the kitchen and grabbed one of the ever-present ice packs from the freezer and walked back into the living room. Rachel grabbed it and quickly put it on the top of her head.

"Ahhh…" She looked up at me with wide eyes. "I was dying, you know. You just saved my life."

I snorted and shook my head.

"Such a drama queen. I swear, the only good thing about you dating Jesse St. Jerkface was that you both had someone else who was just as dramatic."

"Oh really? So should I go find him again?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"God no. Did you not hear the 'only good thing about you dating him' part of that sentence? Or the 'Jerkface' part of it? Pretty much the only thing worse than you going back to him would be if you had done a few completely stupid and rash things, like marrying _Finn_ or something equally idiotic."

We both burst into laughter. As if she would ever lose enough brain cells to marry Finn… I wonder what I would do if she did, though. Would I let them get married? Of course I wouldn't. No good friend would. Even if I had to be one of those random people who burst through the chapel doors and go "I object!", I would. Wait, but isn't that in courts that they say that? Huh…

"Quinn? Hellooooooo, anyone home?"

"Wha- yeah I'm fine. Just thinking."

"Care to share?"

"I'm glad you don't put up with idiots for long."

Rachel smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder playfully.

"I'm just too awesome for them."

"Indeed."

The diva combed her fingers through an imaginary beard and did an impression of a pompous vizier.

"Indeeeeeed…"

A snort escaped my vocal cords. I held up my fingers to form a "W." The snark reminded me of a very special friend.

"Oh, do you want to hang out with San, Britt, and me tomorrow?"

"Sure," she said, although she instinctively flinched a bit. My mind flashed back in an instant to Leroy's story the night Rachel ran away. I think we've done pretty well, comparatively. "What time?"

I shrugged. "Sometime after we get up."

"No shit, _really_? Such skills of deductions I have never seen!" Her voice dripped of sarcasm, much like Santana's had. I'm starting to think that my friends are bad influences on each other…

"What? This is how we operate. We just text the other two – although usually it's B and S versus me – when we want to hang out."

Rachel looked appalled.

"How do you _survive_ like that? Without plans?"

I shrugged again.

"These things elude me…" Rachel muttered.

* * *

Where did the weekend go?

All I remember are random snatches of conversation, laughter, sky and trees rushing by, and I think there was chocolate syrup everywhere at one point. Altogether, it was a pretty great weekend. It was productive, too. For once, Monday morning wasn't so bad.

I grinned wickedly as almost the entire student body gawked at Rachel and me as we walked down the hall. They had reason to, too. We looked pretty freaking amazing. After Rachel and I had hung out with S and B on Sunday, we met up with Kurt at the mall to help… _rejuvenate_ Rachel. Luckily, this time at the mall we didn't run into any unwelcome visitors. Anyways, those hours of effort paid off, because Rachel was now officially the talk of the school.

"Ooh, wassup, chicas calientes?" Puckerman said, accompanied with a wolf-whistle, as he walked up behind us and putting an arm around each of us.

"Oh no, don't you go speaking Spanish too. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person I know that doesn't know how to speak Spanish." I pouted and looked to the side to catch Puck's broad grin.

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it. I don't have any interest in other languages. You don't have to speak to recognize this hotness when you see it." He motioned up and down his body, smirking. His head suddenly popped forward, and I looked backwards a little to see Rachel lowering her hand from where the back of Puck's head had been.

Yup, a pretty good Monday morning…

"Hey Rachel!"

…fuck my life. Look, Little Miss _Perfect_ showed up!

"Hey Nicole! So how do you like McKinley so fa-" My elbow dug into Rachel's ribs, causing her breath to rush out of her lungs.

"Remember, _she cheated_," I hissed sideways into Rachel's ear. She tensed instantly and shut her mouth with a snap.

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked in a concerned voice. Surrreee, _now_ ask if she's okay. Not when you _broke her heart_ or anything.

"Is there something you needed?" YES! I was successful! She is now sufficiently hostile! Woohoo! Oh, shit, she's caving. But, I mean, who couldn't, with a face like that coming from Nicole? It's like kicking a puppy…

"I was just- I thought that we… But you said… I'm sorry, I get it, I'll just go."

"Wait!" I couldn't stop the word from slipping from my mouth. The girl stopped walking away and turned back towards me with a skeptical look.

"I thought _you_ were the one that hated me…" She said in a cautious tone.

"I am. But I shouldn't hate you. Are you coming to Glee after school today? You should. We'll see you then. Bye." Once all the words in my brain were expelled from my mouth, I spun and walked away, with Rachel and Puck in tow.

_AAH! What in the actual fuck is wrong with me? Why did I do that? I am an idiot. Now, officially, Quinn Fabray is a self-diagnosed IDIOT. Ugh. I hate me. I bet Rachel hates me too. Oh God, what if she actually does? I _did_ just invite her cheating-slutbag-ex-girlfriend to the only place that she considers a safe haven. I am an idiot. Completely and utterly. Idiot. Fuck._

"Thanks."

I shook my head like a dog with water in its ears, and stared at Rachel in astonishment.

"Wait- what?"

"Thanks. For making an effort to be nice. I get that it was probably hard. I don't want to be mean, however much she may deserve it. So can we agree to be at least civil to her?"

"That seems… feasible."

"Good."

"Uhh… sorry to interrupt," Puck started, "but who was that?"

Rachel leaned up and whispered in the mohawked boy's ear for about 30 seconds.

"That little shitface!" He finally yelled. "I can't _believe_ I thought she was hot!"

"Don't worry," I said without thinking much, "I thought she was hot too."

Awkward silence.

"Oh _shit_, I just said that!"

Cue explosive laughter from my two companions.

"It's not that funny…" I grumbled. Rachel shook her head and bent over laughing. Puck sobered up quickly though.

"Aww, Quinn, we're not laughing at you. We're laughing at a river in Egypt."

I gave him a 'dafuq?' look, and he acted like a comedian whose audience didn't get his joke.

"You know? A river in Egypt? The Nile? De-Nile? Denial?"

"Whatever," I said, walking away quickly with my face burning. _Notgaynotgaynotgaynotgay_, I repeated in my head for the billion-and-one-th time.

**_Denial!_**

I really could go all day, every day, without hearing your stupid, smug, sing-song voice in my head.

**_No you couldn't._**

What was I saying about smug?

**_Fine. Be sullen by yourself. Don't fuck with that pesky thing called ATTRACTION._**

I will, thank you.

…

Finally! Peace and quiet in my own head! It's kind of sad that I consider that strange…

"You okay?"

I spun around as Rachel touched me lightly on the arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just flipped out a bit."

"Oka-" She was interrupted by a whoop of appreciation from a familiar Latina..

"Holy fuck, Berry! Where've you been hiding that body?"

Rachel shrugged nonchalantly at Santana.

"I'm guessing it was somewhere underneath all of my animal sweaters and plaid skirts."

"No shit! Why the hell did you wear those anyway, given how freaking _awesome_ you look?"

"At least I could say that people shunned me for how I dressed, and maybe not for my personality."

"I- uh… I'm sorry."

Rachel shrugged off the other girl's apology.

"Whatever. The past is the past."

"Still," Santana insisted, "I'm really sorry."

"Thanks."

"Hey Rachie!" An energetic blonde bounced towards us from the water fountain down the hall. "You look really pretty! Like, prettier than normal!"

Rachel and I grinned at our bubbly friend's interjection.

"Thanks, Britt. That means a lot to me."

"Yay! Quinn, you look great too!"

"Thanks, B," I said. "So what have you two lovely ladies been up to?"

Santana leaned over and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. A cavity in my chest ached for a moments, but I quickly squashed the feeling.

"Not much. Britt-Britt had a bit of a tussle with Lord Tub this morning. He's still smoking."

Rachel gasped at Santana's response. She leaned towards Brittany.

"Your cat," she dropped her voice to a hiss, "_smokes?_"

"Yes," Brittany said seriously, nodding. "He's going to need to go to rehab."

I reached over and grabbed the back of Rachel's tank top, dragging her back a little so that I could whisper in her ear.

"Rehab basically means that one of us keeps him at our house for a week. He doesn't actually smoke. I don't think."

"Oh," she murmured, nodding in understanding. She turned back to Brittany. "Well, I hope he gets better soon."

"Thanks."

The 5-minute warning bell signaled that we should part ways. With a few quick goodbyes, Rachel and I walked off towards my geometry class.

I watched with an open mouth as the students milling around us parted to leave a wide path for the brunette next to me. Usually, the crowd at this school would have pushed and shoved us until we were slightly battered, before releasing us into glorious open space. It's like in Finding Nemo, when Marlin and Dory fight through the jellyfish until being released into open water. But occasionally, for high ranking officials in the student body, the crowd will part, much like the Red Sea, to allow said officials to pass through unharmed. This has happened to me several times before, but only when I was on the Cheerios and at the height of my power. Also, whenever there is a group of people that move through the crowd without being touched, it is sometimes hard to figure out exactly whom the cleared way is for. However, those who have been at WMHS long enough know that the person in the center, the middle, the focal point of the group, is the center of attention, the most respected official, the ruler of the underlings – okay maybe that's a tad dramatic. And now, for the first time in my high school career, I was not the center when the crowd around me parted.

Rachel seemed completely oblivious to this huge jump in her social status, and simply walked down the hall as if it were any other day. As we got to my class, the 2 minute bell sounded. Where had the time gone? I suppose it was consumed by my musings about the social hierarchy of McKinley High…

Rachel gave me a quick hug and turned to sprint down the hall to the stairwell which led to her class. I stared at her retreating form with my jaw slightly slackened. God _damn,_ I love Kurt for making her wear those jean shorts… AAH!

_Notgaynotgaynotgaynotgay_… I repeated my mantra as I walked into the class and slumped into my desk, rubbing my temples. How could I be tired before the day even started?

**_You're fighting a losing battle._**

Shut up.

* * *

I walked into the choir room in a relatively good mood. The day had pretty much gone without event, and no huge drama had occurred; so all in all, everything was going fine.

Rachel swung our linked hands as we walked to our seats in the back risers, causing tingles of warmth to shoot up through my arm. Kurt turned in his seat and grinned at me, and I grinned back.

Brittana (my pet name for the two of 'em) walked into the room, and – wonder of wonders – actually _separated from each other_, upon a whisper from Santana, so that the Latina came to sit next to me, and Brittany sat on the other side of Rachel. Another grin crept to my face as I realized that Rachel was now bounded on both sides, to prevent any… _unwelcome_ people from sitting next to her. Ha. Score one Fabray.

"Having fun there, Q?" Santana whispered in my ear.

"Well I'm allowed a smirk for victory, right?" I whispered back.

"And why, pray tell, are you victorious?"

"Our little munchkin is now protected from certain people, thanks to you."

"Ah, yes, and also you may notice that _you_ are protected from certain people as well."

"Oh. Uh… that's… true."

"Naw, really?" She joked, her voice edging towards a normal level as the sarcasm oozed from between the words.

Speak of the devil; look who just walked in! And right behind her was our curly-haired epitome of knowledge, aka, Mr. Schue.

"Okay guys, how's everyone doing?"

Various murmurs of "Good," "Meh," and "Screw you" emanated from the group.

"Erm… well then. I do believe we have a special treat today, we have a new member who wishes to join us!"

The girl in question bounced to her feet and went to stand by the teacher. She waved casually, glancing in our direction in what seemed like an instinctive way.

"As you all know, every new member must audition to join Glee, even though everyone automatically gets in." He turned to Nicole. "Take it away!"

She picked up an electric guitar and slipped on the shoulder strap, mumbling something to the band.

She walked back to center stage.

She cleared her throat.

"Hi, I'm Nicole Goetz, and I'll be singing 'Don't Forget' by Demi Lovato." Her eyes flicked to Rachel, but returned in an instant to sweeping the entire group. She started plucking at a string on the guitar, forming a rhythm.

_Did you forget_

_That I was even alive_

_Did you forget_

_Everything we ever had_

_Did you forget_

_Did you forget_

_About me?_

This time, her gaze landed on Rachel and it stayed there.

_Did you regret_

_Ever standing by side_

_Did you forget_

_What we were feeling inside_

_No one left_

_To forget_

_About us_

_But somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

_So now I guess_

_This is where we have to stand_

_Did you regret_

_Ever holding my hand_

_Never again_

_So don't forget_

_Don't forget_

_We had it all_

_We were just about to fall_

_Even more in love_

_Than we were before_

_I won't forget_

_I won't forget_

_About us_

_But somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

The band took over the music at this point, and Nicole shrugged off the guitar, setting it to the side. She started dancing, and it was impossible to look away. She moved with grace and fluidity, and it… I can't even describe her dancing. There are a few people in this world who have complete control of their body, and can use it as they wish to draw in an audience by just watching, if they wish. This was one of those people.

_Somewhere we went wrong_

_We were once so strong_

_Our love is like a song_

_You can't forget it_

_At all_

The music slowed again, but Nicole kept dancing, slowing to a captivating glide.

_And at last_

_All the pictures have been burned_

_All the past_

_Is just a lesson that we've learned_

_I won't forget_

_Please don't forget_

_Us_

_Somewhere we went wrong_

_Our love is like a song_

_But you won't sing along_

_You've forgotten_

_About_

_Us_

Mr. Schue and the rest of the Glee club clapped enthusiastically. I numbly clapped along with them, watching as the blonde girl took her seat. God, why does it seems so freaking _difficult_ to hate this girl! It's like, in my head I'm all like "RAWR, I squish your head," and then in real life it's all "Oh yeah, you should come to Glee Club and infiltrate my territory and sing stuff to Rachel and I don't mind at all because you dance really well and are pretty."

Okay, maybe that's a _little_ dramatic. Just a tad. But not by much.

It really is driving me up the wall. Why can't I just pick one and stick with it? Either to hate this new girl, or to be nice to her. I really, _really_ want to hate her. I don't have a problem hating other people! Ugh. This is probably why Rachel can't hate her. But she actually _has_ a reason to hate her! Maybe, if I shut my eyes and wish really really hard, then I'll open them and Nicole will be gone. Okay, ready? One… two… please… three… oh crap. It didn't work. But it's not like I expected it to. Whoa, I think Mr. Schue is saying something. Should I listen? I probably should. Or else Rachel will say something later about it and I'll have no idea what she's talking about. Ooh, look bunny! Maybe he really does have hair elves… Good Lord, I've gone crazy. Okay, paying attention now.

"… and that song really tied in well with this week's assignment!" He turns to the white board and writes in big letters across it. Jeez, can't he work on his handwriting some? I mean, he's a _teacher_ for Pete's sake. Shouldn't teachers' handwriting be at least legible? Ugh. Okay, what does that say? R… E… G… oh shit. I hate this.

"Regret!"

Some people groaned, some people just sighed, and still other people clapped excitedly. Can you guess which one I was? Can you guess which one Rachel was? I should hope so. Otherwise I've done a terrible job in narration. Aah! I'm narrating my life in my head! I've really gone crazy! Bananas! Bonkers! Round the bend! Ooh, bunny… Case in point.

"Oh, come on guys, regret is a good thing! Oh, actually," he set down the dry erase marker and came to stand in front of us with clasped hands, "you all know that Nationals is coming up," grave nods were exchanged throughout the group, "and we really need to get on the ball."

Naw, really? Well maybe if we had actually been preparing since a week or two after Regionals, like Vocal Adrenaline probably has been, rather than sitting around on our ASSES doing NOTHING, then we wouldn't have to cram like this! Look, I might not show that I care much about Glee, but I actually do. So there. And it drives me up the wall when Mr. Schue doesn't do diddly squat. I mean, he's nice and all, and I get that he has good intentions, but his lack of responsibility sometimes makes me go nuts.

"So I'm changing practice to every day of the week."

This time the entire group groaned. Not even Rachel and/or Kurt was excited.

"On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I know that a lot of you have sports practices, so we will meet in the morning. Not much, only a half hour, so you don't have to get up real early." He smiled as Puck rubbed up and down his mohawk in relief at the statement.

"So, actually, regret won't be this week's only assignment. Seeing as we are meeting twice as much, we're going to do two topics. The other one is going to be commitment. They go together, 'cause often you need to move on from regret to be able to commit to things in your life, got it?"

A few blank looks were still present. Mr. Schue turned around and shuffled through his leather man-purse (sorry, couldn't resist) and then pulled out some sheet music triumphantly. He looked around for someone with the right vocal range, I guess. His eyes lighted on Sam, and he smiled. He handed it to him, but Sam quickly looked nervous as he glanced over the sheet.

"Uhh, Mr. Schue? I don't think I can do this one. My voice doesn't go that low." He handed the paper back to our teacher. Will (it's weird calling him that. I'm not going to anymore) – Mr. Schue looked around the room and sighed. He pulled off his sweater and gave the sheet music to the band.

"Why does he even wear those things?" Santana whispered in my ear. I shrugged in response.

"I dunno. It makes him look like just another gay show choir director."

"I know, right?"

Mr. Schue started talking again, this time only wearing a t-shirt and not holding the sheet of paper anymore.

"Okay, so this is a song about both regret and commitment. Y'all ready?" Many of the singers raised their eyebrows, but leant back in their seats and crossed their arms in interested amusement.

The band started an intriguing melody line, and Mr. Schue started singing after a few beats. I can get why Sam said his voice doesn't go that low. Actually, I don't think any of the guys in Glee Club's voices go that low. Huh.

_Man it's a hot one_

_Like seven inches from the midday sun_

_Well I hear you whisperin' the words_

_Melt everyone_

_But you stay_

_So cool_

_My mu equita_

_My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa_

_You're my reason for reason_

_The step in my groove_

_And if you said_

_This life ain't good enough, I would give my world_

_To lift you up_

_I would change my life_

_To better suit your mood_

_'Cause you're so smooth_

_And it's just like the ocean_

_Under the moon_

_It's the same as the emotion that I get from you_

_You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah_

_Gimme your heart_

_Make it real_

_Or else forget about it_

_Well I'll tell you one thing_

_If you leave it'd be a crying shame_

_In every breath in every word_

_I hear your name calling me_

_Out_

_Well out from the barrio_

_You hear my rhythm on the radio_

_You feel the turning of the world_

_So soft and slow_

_Turning you_

_Round, round, round_

_And if you said_

_This life ain't good enough, I would give my world_

_To lift you up_

_I would change my life_

_To better suit your mood_

_'Cause you're so smooth_

_Oh, and it's just like the ocean_

_Under the moon_

_It's the same as the emotion that I get from you_

_You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah_

_Gimme your heart_

_Make it real_

_Or else forget about it_

_It's just like the ocean_

_Under the moon_

_It's the same as the emotion that I get from you_

_You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah_

_Gimme your heart_

_Make it real_

_Or else forget about it_

_Or else forget about it  
Or else forget about it  
Oh, let's don't forget about it  
Gimme me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it  
Oh, let's don't forget about it  
Let's don't forget about it, yeah  
Oh, no, no  
Let's don't forget about it _

He finished with a flourish and we all applauded loudly. I suppose it is pretty fun when Mr. Schue performs. Granted, I hope he wouldn't desert us to go perform on Broadway or something. Gosh, no. That would suck. Like majorly suck. Wow, I sound kind of ditzy. Like that toast girl…

* * *

_Walking in the hall…_

_Walking…_

_Walking…_

_Listening to the people around me…_

_Two girls are in front of me. They're walking really slowly, and it's driving me up the wall. I mean honestly, do these people think that they're the only fricking people in the world, and can take their own sweet time with whatever they're doing or wherever they're going? Jeez. So I'm stuck behind these two girls, and one is explaining something (although I could hardly call it explaining) to the other._

_"So, like, this morninggg," she had that really annoying clueless-girl drawl that drove me up the wall, "I was, like, eating uhh… toast or whateverr, and then I had the… ummm… I had the note in my hand, you know? And then, I, like, this part is funny, I _dropped_ the toast, and uhm- I know, right? I actually DROPPED the toast! It was so weird! So then, I, um, I picked the toast up, and- yeah I ate it. It was good toast. But then, I, like, I got butter, like, _all_ over the note. So it was, like, covered in butter. So then, I left the note on the, um, what is it called? Oh yeah, the counter! I left the note on the counterr, so, like, that's why I don't have it or whateverr. Ya know?"_

_"Ohmigosh, really?" Ditz #2 responded._

_"Yeah. Like, seriously."_

_OH MY GOD, I can feel my IQ, "like", DROPPING as I listen. Needless to say, I was glad when I got to my class._

* * *

So, like, yeahh, that's the toast girl. NO. NO I AM NOT GOING TO SOUND LIKE HER NOW. That happens every single time I tell that story. Afterwards, I talk like her for, like, the next 15 minutes. Oh God, it's happening again. NUUUU! Dude, I'm weird in my head. Hehe. I said dude. Don't you hate when teenage boys will call each other "brah"? It's like, I am offended by that, thank you very much. I am REALLY weird in my head. Okay, focusing back on real life now.

"You guys can do one song from either regret or commitment, or you can do one of each, or maybe even neither! But if you don't do a song, make sure you're practicing for Regionals still, okay guys?"

"Yeah sure," I murmured like the people around me. Sure, they have it easy. I'm living with _Rachel Freaking Berry_, of course I'm going to be practicing for Regionals.

"All right! You're free to go!"

Everyone got up to leave, puttering around for a few minutes in the hall. Rachel decided to get a few things out of her locker while I stopped by the bathroom.

What I did not expect to see when I came out, however, was Nicole standing at Rachel's locker as well. And I definitely not expect them to be standing within a few inches of each other, talking in low voices. The dark-blonde girl's hand slowly reached up and gently stroked Rachel's arm, and I saw my diva turn pink. The beast in my chest roared again. I strode forward and leaned against the locker right behind Rachel, placing a protective hand on her hip.

"Hey, Rach," I glared at the other girl over the brunette's head, "Goetz."

I was reminded of a statement I made a couple years ago…

_"Hey Finn," Glaring at Rachel, "RuPaul."_

Anyways. Woohoo memory lane!

"Whatcha talkin' about?"

"Oh, nothing," Rachel replied, shifting to press her back against my front. The beast inside me purred. "Nicole was apologizing."

I grunted noncommittally. Jesus, I'm turning into Finn Man-Child.

You know, most people would think that I wouldn't use expressions like that; like OMG, Jesus, or Christ, etc. but I'm actually not that strict of a Christian. The Commandment that says to not use the Lord's name in vain really doesn't mean that anyway. That's just taking the wording literally, and that was thousands of years ago. It really just means to not disrespect God.

"So are you ready to go?" I asked, trying to get Rachel away from this threatening individual. Target acquired. Weapons loaded. Ready to fire. Any second now…

"Yeah sure," Victory! "Nic, you want to walk out with us?" Aww shit. I glowered at the other girl, _daring_ her to say yes.

"Umm are you sure that your girlfriend won't kill me?"

Rachel and I both started spluttering and stammering over our words.

"Oh, I'm not-"

"She's not-"

"We're not-"

"We're just friends," we finally managed to get out collectively. Nicole arched an eyebrow at us. Nuh-uh, that was _my_ trademark smirk. No way does she get to come in here and steal my girl _and _my eyebrow-raise. That facial expression was passed down for generations through my family, thank you very much! Oh, shit, I just called Rachel "my girl." And after we both got flustered over me being called her girlfriend… Shit.

"O-kayy… Are you sure?" Nicole asked, still not sure. She seemed to think that I was going to bite her or something. Which I might. You never know. It depends on how much she pisses me off.

"Yeah, just friends. So come walk out with us," I said, making an effort to be nice. I had to resist the urge to slap myself. HOW CAN I BE NICE? Grr.

All my anger melted away when Rachel's hand slipped into mine and she turned to pull me towards the doors. The anger returned, though, when I saw that her other hand was being held too. Argh.

Going. To. Rip. Off. Her. Fucking. Perfect. Ex. Girlfriend's. Head. Someday.

I was distracted this time from my anger as we walked out the back doors of the school, as it was the closest entrance. A group of girls in red and white skirts encircled one of the dumpsters, and a disheveled blonde one was standing in the middle facing them all.

"Come on girls, you can't do this! I am your captain! I am head cheerleader, Sue said so! You can't do this to me! You will all pay for thi-" She was cut off my two of the Cheerios grabbing her by the waist and throwing her in the dumpster. I smirked.

And now Lauren knows what it's like to fall from the top of the pyramid. Serves her right.

The warm hand slipped from mine, and Rachel stepped forward towards the group of cheerleaders.

"All right you lot! Scram!"

I raised an eyebrow at her strange diction, but shrugged it off as Rachel being Rachel. Surprisingly enough though, the cheerleaders actually did disperse; although they threw venomous glares at the angry-looking diva, who was now standing where the middle of the group had been, with her hands on her hips. I suppose she really had gained power in the past couple weeks.

This next part was really shocking though.

Rachel walked over to the dumpster and vaulted herself up by the edge, finding a foothold on the handle which was midways up the side of the metal container. Having found her balance, she then reached a hand into the dumpster to help Lauren get out. Oh, crap, she shouldn't have done that…

I ran forward, expecting the worst, but nothing bad happened physically to Rachel. Lauren sat up and shoved Rachel's hand away, hopping over the edge of the dumpster herself. The blonde cheerleader looked at herself in disgust at the stains from the trash, before turning to Rachel, who had dropped to the ground again. The brunette stepped forward in concern, but Lauren shoved her away again.

"Get off me, Manhands! I don't need _your_ filth getting on me along with this shit from the garbage, even though it's probably the same."

I strode towards her and brought my hand up, bringing it at her face at the same time that another hand connected with Lauren's other cheek. Nicole and I both started spitting threats in the cheerleader's face, and we ended up interrupting each other.

"How da-"

"If yo-"

Nicole motioned for me to go first. I nodded grimly and grabbed a fistful of the cheerleader's hair, turning all my attention back on her.

"Don't you _dare_ say anything like that _ever_ again, do you hear me?" I jerked her hair back to emphasize my point. "_Ever_."

Nicole stepped forward and got in Lauren's face. I grinned and kept the cheerleader's hair pulled tightly and hopefully uncomfortably back.

"If you _do_ ever say something like that to Rachel again, I. Will. _Cut you._ And don't think I won't," She said, lowering her voice dangerously low. I shivered a little. I bet she does keeps knives around. Scarrrryyy gurll. But effective, as Lauren just turned white as a sheet. Not like she wasn't pretty white anyway.

I let go of her hair and she fell backwards to the ground. Nicole and I turned in unison and walked back to Rachel, who had been staring at us.

"You okay?" I asked in a concerned voice.

"Rachel?" Nicole asked in the same concerned voice.

"You didn't let what she said get to you, did you?"

"Rachel, honey, talk to me."

"Oh God, she's broken."

"Crap, now I'm going to have to go cut that girl."

"I'll hold her down."

"Maybe we can knock her out first…"

"Holy shit…" Rachel's soft voice brought both of us to immediate attention.

"Yeah?"

"What happened, darlin'?"

The brunette squinted one eye and widened the other in a comical expression of befuddlement and shock.

"You two are scary…"

I chuckled and Nicole smirked. I suppose we do have _something_ in common, then. I leaned over and kissed the top of Rachel's head.

"Yeah, we are kind of scary."

"Just a tad," the other blonde added with a smile and a squeeze of Rachel's hand.

Okay, maybe she isn't _that _bad.

The beast roared again.

Wait, yes she is.

No she isn't.

Yes she is.

Aah!

"Hey, Nic, you want to come over?"

Of course Rachel had to go and ask that. Now what am I supposed to think?

"Yeah, sure!"

Fuck.

* * *

I rocked back and forth in the secret closet I had found, my head thumping against the wall again.

_IdontcareIdontcareIdontcareI dontcare_

It became my new mantra, and I repeated it over and over in my head, hoping that it would eventually come to fruition. No such luck. I still had to fight back the tears. Soon, my fight turned into a losing battle, and I just let the salty water cascade down from my eyes.

She kissed her.

Actually, I'm not sure which one kissed the other.

Does it matter?

No, it really doesn't.

Well, it kind of does.

But not right now.

Right now I'm not being rational.

Right now logic makes no sense to me.

All I know is that she kissed her.

And there's nothing I can do about it.

The tears fell again.

* * *

"Quinn? What are you doing in our hall closet?"

The bright light stung my eyes as Rachel's form stood outlined where the folding closet door had been. I cleared my throat and wiped my eyes on the back of my hand. Good thing I didn't use mascara today. Rachel offered me a hand, and I stood up.

"Have you been crying? What happened?"

I shook my head and waved my hands, fanning my face a bit.

"Nothing, nothing. I just get… weepy, you know? All the pent up emotion. From… my parents. And stuff. It happens. Don't pay any attention to me."

"A-are you sure?"

"Yeah." I said, resuming my brisk exterior and stepping out of the closet, shutting the door behind me. "Where's your _friend_?" I spat out the word as if it were venom on my tongue and looked at the ground, which had suddenly become very interesting.

"Uh… She left. She- erm – she kissed me. And then I slapped her," My head jerked up. "And she left."

"Wait, you slapped her?"

Rachel gave me a quizzical look.

"Did you miss the part where she kissed me?"

"Oh, uh," I looked down at the floor again, as it had become _really_ interesting once again. "I kind of already… knew… that… part… kinda…"

"You knew _what?_"

"Yeah… I saw you guys… When I came back from getting water… So I already knew…"

"Oh," she paused. "Did that have anything to do with why you were crying?"

"No! No, I mean, of course not, why would it? It was just me being mood-swingy teenager, you know, absolutely no correspondence with what goes on in your life, I mean that's your business anyway." I apparently rush out words when I get flustered. Yeah, I was doing that now.

"Oh. Okay."

Awkward silence for a moment. Rachel broke it.

"Well, I'm hungry. Come help me get food." She stood up from where she was leaning against the armrest of the nearest chair. She grabbed my hand and pulled me, but I playfully wouldn't budge.

"But what if I don't want to?" I teased.

"But you _neeeed_ to…" She whined. I smirked.

"Nope, I don't think I need to."

"But you _neeeeeeeeedd _to!" She insisted. My smirk grew wider.

"Nuh-uh. I think you'll have to carry me."

A devilish grin spread across her face. Oh crap, I shouldn't have suggested that. She rushed forward and grabbed me around the waist, lifting me about 6 inches off the ground and running with me towards the kitchen.

"RACHEL BERRY YOU PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

Goodness, she's strong for someone so short!

She set me down with a short _huff_ on the Berry tiled kitchen floor. I pretended to look dignified and dusted myself off, as if I HADN'T just been carried a good 40 feet by a midget diva who talks too much. I then moved on to my next point of business: glaring at the offending character.

"What?" She shrugged. "You wouldn't cooperate."

I tried to stay annoyed. I really did! But however much I tried to prevent it, a smile crept across my face, and it turned into a grin. I ran up behind Rachel and wrapped both arms around her in a bear hug.

She was still mine for now.

**A/N: Heyy guys so I know it's been a little longer than usual for this update, but it's also a bit longer than usual. :D Just a tiny bit. So I hope you guys can tell me what you think about this! It actually wasn't what I expected this branch of the story to turn out like, but the words just kind of went together and the story moved in a way that my brain hadn't comprehended. So whatevs. If you're unhappy with the chap, just tell me, I guess. Or not. It don't matta. Anyways, there are probably random spots in this chapter cuz I wrote it throughout the week rather than sitting down for 6 hours at a time and cranking one out like I usually do. Also, the thing with the toast actually happened to me. Not like I was the toast girl, but like I heard that conversation in the hall one day. I nearly went brain dead. Umm so yeah just pleasseee give me feedback! Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, I get that it was kind of hard to because I had posted an author's note before and then removed it and the review thing got all jacked up. But thanks! R&R plzzz! Peace out. :)**

**PS: The songs were Don't Forget by Demi Lovato (obviously), and Smooth by Santana (no, not the one that we know and love as a snarky lesbian BAMF; there's a band, too)**

**PPS: Please tell me what you think of Nicole. Please. Pleaaaaasssseeee. Maybe if you guys are interested I'll tell you why. :j**


	26. And So It Is

I don't own Glee.

Chapter 26

**QPOV **

I blearily opened my eyes and looked at the clock. "3:40" Ugh, why do I wake up in the middle of the night like this? It's happened before, but usually only when something really big is bothering me and my mind tells me to figure it out at 4 in the morning.

I stared up at the sea of black where the ceiling should have been, and let thoughts take over my mind.

My insides had grown increasingly troubled over the past few days, almost as if I knew I had missed out on something. You know that feeling that you get when you set out on a huge trip and think you've forgotten something, but don't know what it is? I have that feeling.

Or there's also the feeling where you know you're about to do something that will make you seem like a real shitface later on down the line, but it doesn't seem that bad right now, or you have no idea what it is that you're gonna do. I have that feeling too.

Life has just been really confusing lately. Well, maybe _life_ isn't what's confusing. I don't know, it's just that everybody around me seems to know something that I _don't_, and I can't figure out what. And it's bugging the crap out of me.

Plus I've been doing things or saying things that I don't really have control over, or that I can't explain. Like how territorial I got when Nicole and Rachel were around each other; it was like I was… _jealous_ or something. Which I'm not. Right?

I looked down at Rachel sleeping as the moonlight hits the side of her face. She is so, so very beautiful…

See?! I can't go around thinking things like that! But I do, _all the time_! And I have no idea what that means. No, actually, scratch that. I know what it means, but I don't want to look any further into what it means. But I do need to.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself. My left hand twitched twice. My breath got stuck in my throat.

But I _have_ to tell myself the truth.

I… think that I… _might_… possibly… haveacrushonRachel. Maybe.

It would be the only explanation for why I act the way I do. And then there was that errant thought last weekend that basically went something like, "hmm, I think I'm gay for Rachel Berry" but of course I wouldn't believe that it could be true… I still kind of don't. But then again, I kind of do.

But I can't like Rachel! That's not okay! She's a _girl_ for one thing, and then for another, she's…

… Amazing, beautiful, talented, smart, funny, hyper, adorable…

…uh… yeah, she's a girl.

And I'm not supposed to- no, I'm not _allowed_ to like girls!

I. Am. Not. Allowed. To. Like. Girls. At all!

_Why?_

Oh. Erm. Well, that's a good question. I guess because… my family?

But then again I don't even live with my mom anymore.

Because Lima is a conservative town full of highly judgmental and mostly Christian homophobes?

That never stopped Santana and Brittany, though. And Kurt came out anyway. Plus, Rachel's dads seem pretty happy.

Okay, well, do I have a personal prejudice against gay people?

No, that can't be true, seeing as my two best friends are gay, my other… uh… friend is bi, and then pretty much my two closest guy friends are either gay or will jump anything hot. And I don't think any less of them.

So then do I have a personal prejudice against _being_ gay?

You know, come to think about it, I don't really know. I mean, I would hear in church how it is a sin for a man to lie with another man, or a woman to lie with another woman, like they should with the opposite sex, but I never really paid attention to it. I never really thought it would apply to me, and also I didn't think it was very fair to say that _who these people were_ was a sin. But I also never thought that _who I am_ would be attracted to girls.

Well, I don't know, am I?

I've had a few boyfriends, but did I ever actually have feelings for them?

Well, there was Finn. But he's a douchebag, and I only ever kept him around for the popularity.

There was Puck, but pretty much he was just like a best friend. Also he got me pregnant, so I kind of had to stick around.

I didn't really even like either of them; and if I did, it was definitely not for very long. I've never really had those crushes on guys that most girls will gossip about, either. If anyone asked me who I had a crush on, I would just say one of the jocks or popular boys. I never actually cared or found them attractive.

So, now that we got the fact that I probably _don't_ like boys out of the way, do I like girls?

I hate all this thinking, especially at _4 in the freaking morning._ Then again, 4 in the morning might be the only time that I'm not being defensive. Defensive towards myself… huh…

But whatever. Moving on. Do I like girls?

Well, there was that party in the summer before sophomore year… Santana mentions it jokingly, but it probably did actually mean something, even though I don't remember half of what happened.

The party was two weeks before summer ended, and the two major high schools in the area were invited: Carmel and McKinley. I don't even remember whose party it was. I was drunk, like, _really_ drunk; and it was my first time being in such an inebriated state.

Puck – of course – had suggested Spin the Bottle as the party was winding down, so a group of us grabbed an empty beer bottle and went to sit in another room. Everything up to my turn passed as a blur, with random whoops and cheers and laughter and more and more alcohol. The next thing I know, the bottle has left my hand and is spinning, spinning, spinning, and comes to a stop in front of a rising junior girl from Carmel. She had straight, dark brown hair that was cut to a tapered point at about the bottom of her chin, and equally dark brown eyes framed with long lashes that could draw a boy over from across the room. She had on a slinky black top that hugged her body and skin-tight jeans, which made her legs seem to go on forever. All in all, she was really hot. Not that I noticed or anything. Right?

My brain was obviously not functioning at top level at this point, so when the girl grinned at me in an almost predatory way, I merely shrugged and sat up on my knees, leaning across the circle. Our lips, surprisingly, did not meet in a drunken haze, but rather met somewhat delicately. After a few moments, our lips started to move against each other, and hands grasped for hair. We only broke away as one of the older boys from Carmel gave a crass comment, and my brain stirred a bit from its alcohol-caused daze. I registered that I had just kissed a girl, but there was also the "logical" part of me that got me convinced that it was only because we were playing a game, and that it was completely normal.

Until last Friday, that kiss was the best I've ever had, if only for the fact that it was nothing like the kisses I've had from guys. Girls are… softer, in many different ways. Personality-wise, physically too, and just in general, they aren't as sloppy and rough as boys are. But I had blocked out that part of my memory, and, other than the hangover the next morning, that party was suppressed from that day forward.

I started trembling as I forced myself to think through the emotions tied to that night.

I didn't feel repulsed that night. I didn't feel horrified. It didn't feel wrong. Everything seemed like… like it fell into place. Like this is what life was supposed to be like. And I had hated myself every day since then for smothering that, for telling myself that it doesn't work that way.

For doing the same thing last Friday.

My head shook from side to side, and I felt as if stakes were being driven in from my ears into my brain. A couple tears leaked out of the corners of my tightly shut eyes. It felt similar to how an exorcism looks.

A cool hand slipped around my waist and toyed with the bottom of my shirt. Soothing fingers occasionally brushed against my hipbone. Rachel scooted closer to me, sleepily mumbling incoherent words in my ear.

"You okay?" She asked after a minute or two. I nodded, having calmed down and as the turmoil in my mind had come to a rest. Rachel nodded and her breathing soon evened out again, her fingers coming to rest on my hipbone and causing tingles to shoot through my skin.

Oh my God. I'm gay, aren't I?

_And_ I have a crush on Rachel?

* * *

I stepped out of the car and walked quickly into the school, heading straight for the auditorium. Hopefully the bags under my eyes weren't very noticeable, even though there weren't many people at the school yet. I was here even earlier than when the Glee Club was supposed to be meeting.

I hadn't fallen asleep until 5 in the morning, as I was thinking and mulling over my current situation. Finally I had decided that it was no good for me to be doing all the thinking by myself; I could convince myself of anything if I had the time and effort. I needed someone who understood me.

I sat on the edge of the stage, tapping my foot on the seat facing me in the front row. My eyes flitted around rapidly and at random, as if I expected someone to be watching me. The door to the auditorium opened and I jumped, slipping off the stage so that my feet hit the floor with a _thud_. A tall blonde gently closed the auditorium door and walked towards me with a dancer's grace. Her disposition instantly calmed me, and I resumed my seated position. She hopped up to sit on the stage next to me, looking at me with a calm but concerned expression.

"So what's up? What did you need to talk about?"

I turned slightly, seeing my friend's bright blue eyes shine with warmth. Part of me still wanted to stay in denial. Denial was safe, comfortable. But it was killing me on the inside.

"Britt," I paused for a moment and sighed, drawing in a shaky breath, "I- I think that… I think I like girls," I finally said, trying not to break down at my verbal admission. It's one thing to say it in my head; it's something completely different to say it out loud. If I say it out loud, it makes it true. Of course, that insinuates that if I say it in my head it might _not_ be true, but that's beside the point.

Brittany studied my face, looking over my possible reactions and the emotions that I was hiding. After a few moments she reached over and enveloped me in a hug, pulling me close to her body and rubbing circles on my back. I tried not to cry. I really did try. But resistance was futile, and I sobbed into my best friend's shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Quinn. You are very strong to admit that. Very strong," She said in a gentle, lilting voice. "Everything will be fine, you'll see."

I sniffled a few times and pulled away from her comforting grip, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand.

"I don't know what to do, B."

Brittany looked at me with sympathy. She shook her head and rubbed the back of her neck.

"What do you want to do?" This caused me to laugh and shake my head as well.

"What do I _want?_ Wow, I… I want to run and hide, I want to cover this up and pretend that I never figured this out. But I just _validated _it, and I can't take that back!"

"Is there anything that maybe led to you figuring 'this' out?"

"N-" I need to be real. For once in my life, I need to be real. "-well, kind of." I wouldn't say anything else, so Brittany gave me a small, encouraging smile.

"Care to share?" She asked softly.

"R- Rachel," I muttered. My blonde friend didn't seem to have heard me, as she looked confused.

"I didn't hear you; what was that?"

"Rachel," I replied in a stronger voice. Brittany's entire demeanor changed in an instant. She grinned and clapped her hands together, squealing in the process.

"Yay! You finally figured it out!"

"Wh- what are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"All this time, it's been so _obvious_ to San and me, and probably to other people too, that you and Rachel _totally_ like each other! And now you figured it out! Now you two can be all happy and stuff and grow up and have tons of babies that are all cute and adorable and stuff-"

"No, Britt, stop!"

She looked at me, wide-eyed and puzzled.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I'm not ready to think about… stuff like that."

"But why?"

That's actually a really good question. Why? Why can't I suddenly embrace who I am – because this _is_ who I am – and move on to living like I want to?

"I'm afraid."

"Oh," Brittany now became empathetic. "I get that you're scared. I was scared too. And after a bit the fear starts to go away. But until then, you can't just go around hiding who you are because it's scary, or you'll start dying inside. That's what happened to Santana."

"I know, I know that I can't do that, but I'm not there yet. I'm not at the point where I can be nonchalant." I closed my eyes, working up the nerve to say what I needed to. "I just figured out _this morning_ that I'm… that I'm a lesbian…"

Brittany pulled me in for a sideways, one-armed hug. She laid her head on my shoulder, and I smiled weakly at the comforting gesture.

"Yeah, I get it. Accepting your sexuality is definitely not a one day process. Jeez, it took me _months_, and it took Kurt _years_. So take the time you need, okay? And just know that I'm here if you need to talk. ¿_Comprendes_?"

I nodded, sniffling again.

"You wanna sing about it?" Brittany asked, half-joking. I laughed, but thought about it seriously. Jeez, look at what happened the last time I didn't take Brittany seriously. I got a creepy voice in my head telling me what to do…

"You know what, I think I will. And I have the perfect song." A smile crept onto my face as I said the words, already thinking about my upcoming performance. I know people make fun of us for singing all the time, but it seriously gets all sorts of emotions out. It works better than punching walls. Believe me; been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Brittany clapped me on the shoulder and hopped off the stage. She dusted off her backside and gave her Cheerio's skirt an experimental swish. I landed on my feet beside her, running a hand through my hair. I am so glad I got rid of the length; it feels great short.

I walked out of the auditorium and headed to the choir room. I actually didn't mind these morning-rehearsals that much. Pretty much all of my friends were in Glee club, so it's just more time to hang out with them.

I slid into a chair in the back, and was joined after a few minutes by Rachel. Her hand slipped into mine automatically, and I smiled at the warmth that spread throughout my body. My head dropped onto her shoulder, and we watched the few remaining groggy Glee clubbers shuffle in.

Relatively promptly, Mr. Schue walked into the room.

"So who's worked on the assignment?"

I raised my hand, as did Rachel and Sam. I furrowed my brow in confusion, as they looked at each other as if in agreement about something.

"Wow! Okay, let's have Quinn go first, and then Rachel you can go, and then-"

"Actually, Mr. Schuester," Rachel cut off the teacher, "Sam and I are performing a song together."

"That's great! Quinn, go ahead, and then we'll have Rachel and Sam perform."

I nodded and stood up, shaking off the bit of nerves I felt. When I reached the middle of the room, I grabbed a stool from near the piano (whispering the name of my song in Brad's ear as I did so) and dragged it forward, sitting and facing my "audience." I nodded towards the piano, and he played the first few chords. I drew a shaky breath and looked up directly at Rachel.

_Hey, slow it down  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?  
Yeah, I'm afraid  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?_

_There might've been a time when I would give myself away  
Oh, once upon a time, I didn't give a damn  
But now, here we are  
So whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?_

The piano's rhythm picked up, and tears pricked at the corner of my eyes.

_Just don't give up  
I'm working it out  
Please don't give in  
I won't let you down  
It messed me up  
Need a second to breathe  
Just keep calling around  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?_

_Yeah, it's plain to see  
That baby you're beautiful  
And there's nothing wrong with you  
It's me, I'm a freak  
But thanks for loving me  
'Cause you're doing it perfectly_

_Yeah there might've been a time when I would let you slip away  
I wouldn't even try but I think you could save my life_

_Just don't give up  
I'm working it out  
Please don't give in  
I won't let you down  
It messed me up  
Need a second to breathe  
Just keep coming around, hey  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?_

_I won't let you down_

_No, I won't let you down_

_Just don't give up  
I'm working it out  
Please don't give in  
It messed me up  
Need a second to breathe  
Just keep coming around, hey  
Whataya want from me?  
Whataya want from me?_

I finished with one last wavering note, and looked down, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. The applause barely registered, and I mechanically put back the stool and walked to my seat. Rachel gave my arm a comforting squeeze and stood up, along with Sam.

When would they have had time to practice for this? And since when do Sam and Rachel interact anyways?

The two stood in the center of the room and looked kind of nervous. Sam nodded towards the band, and they started playing. Soon, Rachel's glorious voice filled the room, but it was accompanied with barely restrained anger.

_I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
All of my change I spent on you  
Where have the times gone baby it's all wrong  
Where are the plans we made for two?  
_

_Yeah I, I know it's hard to remember  
The people we used to be  
It's even harder to picture  
That you're not here next to me  
You say it's too late to make it  
But is it too late to try?  
And in the time that you wasted  
All of our bridges burned down_

_I wasted my nights  
You turned out the lights  
Now I'm paralyzed still stuck in that time  
When we called it love  
But even the sun  
Sets in paradise_

Rachel and Sam's voices joined for the chorus, and I have to admit that they sounded _really good_ together.

_I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
All of my change I spent on you  
Where have the times gone baby it's all wrong  
Where are the plans we made for two?  
_

_If happy ever after did exist  
I would still be holding you like this  
All those fairy tales are full of shit  
One more fricking love song I'll be sick_

It returned to only Rachel singing, and I was pretty sure I knew whom she was singing to. I was proud of her for it.

_You turn your back on tomorrow  
'Cause you forgot yesterday  
I gave you my love to borrow  
But you just gave it away  
You can't expect me to be fine  
I don't expect you to care  
I know I said it before but  
All of our bridges burned down_

_I wasted my nights  
You turned out the lights  
Now I'm paralyzed still stuck in that time  
When we called it love  
But even the sun  
Sets in paradise_

_I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
All of my change I spent on you  
Where have the times gone baby it's all wrong  
Where are the plans we made for two?  
_

_If happy ever after did exist  
I would still be holding you like this  
All those fairy tales are full of shit  
One more fricking love song I'll be sick  
Now I'm at a payphone_

Rachel backed away, and Sam stood in front, rapping as most of the Glee club clapped and chuckled.

_Man, what's that shit  
I'll be out spending all this money  
While you're sittin' around wondering  
Why it wasn't you came up from nothing  
Made it from the bottom  
Now when you see me I'm stuntin'  
And all across 'em with the push of a button  
Telling me our chances are blew up or whatever you call it  
Switch the number to my phone so you never could call it  
Don't need my name on my shirt, you can tell that I'm ballin'  
Swish, what a shame coulda got picked  
Had a really good game but you missed your last shot  
So you talking 'bout who you see at the top  
Or what you coulda saw, but sad to say it's over for  
Phantom pulled up valet open doors  
Wished I would go away, got what you was looking for  
Now it's me who they want so you can go  
And take that little piece of shit with you  
_

_I'm at a payphone trying to call home  
All of my change I spent on you  
Where have the times gone baby it's all wrong  
Where are the plans we made for two?  
_

_If happy ever after did exist  
I would still be holding you like this  
All these fairy tales are full of shit  
One more fricking love song I'll be sick  
_

_Now I'm at a payphone…_

The two grasped hands and bowed as we clapped and hooted. Theirs was a really powerful performance, and I know it meant a lot to Rachel. There was an underlying sense of catharsis in the room; everyone could feel it.

"Both of those performances were amazing! You guys really captured the meaning of the assignment, so great job. Everyone else," Mr. Schue said, turning to the group, "I can't wait to hear what you have. Remember, you can do as many songs as you would like; it's just more practice for Nationals. Keep in mind: regret and commitment! All right, have a good day, I'll see y'all tomorrow morning."

People shuffled to their feet and started making their way to class right as the 5-minute warning bell rang.

I stopped to tie the shoe of my Converse, telling Rachel to go ahead and I would catch up. Once I got the shoe-string situation under control, I walked out of the choir room towards the direction I was pretty sure Rachel would go. I stopped stock-still when I saw her face turn red at the girl standing in front of her.

"No! You listen! You apologized; you made your peace, now leave me the _hell_ alone, Nicole! I don't want you talking to me, trying to be around me, and _by God_, if you try to kiss me again I will hit you so damn hard your _grandchildren_ will feel it!"

"B-but I thought," The freckled girl stammered, "I thought you wanted to try ag-"

"_No_, I don't want to try again. You had your shot, and you _blew it_, and I was just getting over you when you showed up. So why don't you go hang out with the _500_ other people at this school, and STAY AWAY from me!"

"Wh- wait… so you don't like me anymore?"

Rachel groaned, stamped her foot, and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling as if asking for patience; which she seemed to have lost anyway.

"No, I don't. Unfortunately I have no chance with the person that I _do_ have an interest in, but believe me, you are not them. Face it; you're not going to be the center of my universe ever again, okay? Maybe you should've thought of this before you went and _cheated_ on me – but that's ancient history. I know you thought you could come back and be the knight in shining armor again, but that's not how it works. So it was great to see you, but I don't want to play this game anymore. Goodbye." And with that my diva turned and walked back towards me, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hallway.

"We're going the wrong way," I said after we had gone a ways. Rachel shook her head and kept pulling me towards the doors.

"We're not going to class," she said. "We're coming back before second period."

THE Rachel Berry _skipping class_? Wow, what I saw just now must have been more serious than I thought it was. I drew a box in my mind around my gay panic problems, and stuck them in a corner of my psyche. Rachel needed me right now.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Rachel started her car.

"The Lima Bean," she said in a short, clipped tone. The only other time I'd heard her use that type of voice was after I kissed her.

_You didn't see that broken girl afterwards… It is scary and I hope that you will never see it, although that is really a futile hope._

Santana's words reverberated around my head, and my fear grew.

After a few short minutes Rachel pulled into a parking space outside the local coffee shop and got out of the car without a word. I got out as well and followed her cautiously. As the brunette walked up to the barista, I found a two-person table in a quiet corner, away from the few people in the shop. Rachel eventually came to sit across from me, putting her elbows on the table and holding her forehead in her palms.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently. I didn't want to do something that would set her off, but I also knew that she couldn't internalize all of her emotions.

Rachel shook her head, keeping it in her hands, but drew a breath anyway in preparation to talk.

"I'm just… really tired, you know? I am so very, very tired of playing her game. It's this vicious cycle of cat-and-mouse chasing, and I- I'm through with it! I'm over and done with the emotional rollercoaster; but it's like, every time I try to move on, there's something dragging me back." Rachel choked a little on what sounded like tears.

I put on of my elbows on the table and rested my chin on the heel of my palm, leaning forward a bit. My other hand reached around underneath the table and gentle stroked her knee. I have no idea if this was calming like I intended, but Rachel seemed able to keep talking.

"It's been three years! And I was just getting over it, and moving on to allow myself to fall in love with other people, and then she just shows up out of the blue!" She stopped suddenly and looked up at me, basically emulating my chin-on-hand posture. "You know I would never have gone out with her again, right?"

"I was pretty sure, but... uh…" My thoughts scattered as I noticed how close our faces were. "I didn't… erm… know…" Barely inches away were those warm chocolate eyes, staring at me, waiting.

I've got nothing to stop me.

Slowly, I leaned forward, watching a slight uncertainty bloom in those same brown eyes. I paused, but started inching forward again after a few moments. I had no idea what this feeling was, but I just knew that I really, _really_ wanted to kiss Rachel. A few more centimeters-

"Tall soy chai latte!" The barista's voice rang out and Rachel stood up rather hurriedly.

"Uh, that's mine, I should go get it," she mumbled and walked away quickly.

I groaned and leant back in my seat.

Stupid. Freaking. Cockblocker. Coffee.

But it would have been a mistake to kiss her now anyway. She's emotional and irrational, and she just screamed her head off at her ex-girlfriend, so she's definitely not in the right state of mind. And neither am I.

I looked up with a smile as Rachel walked back to the table, chai latte in hand. She sat down nervously, but I just grinned across as if nothing had happened.

"I was proud of you for singing that today by the way," I said to start back the conversation. The brunette looked up at me shyly through her eyelashes, making my heart flutter.

"Thanks. I thought it was going to be kind of a chore to convince Sam to sing it with me, but he ended up being all for the idea."

"How did you guys even practice anyway?" I asked in curiosity. Rachel shrugged.

"I had planned on doing that anyway, even before… yesterday. So Sam and I practiced at lunch yesterday and this morning before Glee. Plus, given our combined talent, it didn't take much practice before our performance." She smiled a little in her quiet victory as a singer.

"I don't know how you guys do it," I said, leaning back so that my seat balanced on its back two legs. "I know I wouldn't be able to stand being so freaking talented all the time. Instead," I sighed, "I choose to live the easy life of us untalented normal folk."

Rachel looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I grinned.

"What?"

She sighed. "Believe me, you're not one of those untalented normal people."

"I used to be normal, you know," I said quite seriously.

"Oh really?" Rachel responded skeptically. "And what happened?"

"I met those losers," I said with no explanation.

"What losers?"

"The ones I now call my best friends."

We both grinned, until my phone buzzed, and I pulled it out to see a text from Santana.

**Satan: if u r skipping u should get back soon. first period's abt to end, and it's hard to get back in w only a tardy if u miss transition from 1st to 2nd period**

**Me: k thx**

**Satan: tell the hobbs too for future reference**

**Me: u think there would be a future for referencing? i mean it's rach we're talking about :D**

**Satan: well there was a first time wasn't there?**

**Me: true, true**

**Satan: just get yo ass back here**

**Me: coming right up**

"We should leave soon," I said, stowing my phone back in my pocket. "First period's about to end."

The brunette nodded and downed the rest of her coffee, standing and walking to the trashcan. I stood up as well, stretching my shoulders a bit. I held the door open for Rachel, and she walked out into the parking lot with a little spring in her step. The corners of my mouth twitched up at how easily this girl can bounce back.

We pulled into the school parking lot 5 minutes later, just as the bell marking the end of first period sounded. Rachel and I hopped out and quickly slipped in through the side entrance to the school, blending into the crowd.

"Who would ever think that Rachel Berry of all people would be skipping class?" I whispered in her ear as we walked towards my history class. She laughed a little, but replied promptly, accompanied by a smirk.

"The same person who thought that Quinn Fabray of all people would be skipping with her."

"Touché, touché," I said with a grin. She gave my hand a quick squeeze and walked away when we had reached the door, so I walked into my classroom with the same grin. It soon died, however, when I read the screen of my buzzing phone.

**[RACHEL BERRY RUMORS CONFIRMED!]**

**[Lover's spat with a GIRL in the hallway!]**

**[JBI has all the facts, check interactive blog!]**

**[Pictures included!]**

It was a mass text from Jacob Ben Israel to the entire school.

"Son of a bitch…" I muttered as millions of thoughts raced through my head. Quickly, my hand shot up, and the teacher appraised me with a skeptical look.

"Yes?"

"May I go to the restroom, ma'am?" I asked, using my sickly-sweet adult-charming voice. The teacher checked her watch and frowned.

"But class just started-"

"Please…" I whined, hitting myself repeatedly in my mind's eye for how pathetic I sounded.

"I suppose that's fine then." She said, but I had already left the classroom and was running down the hall. I knew exactly where he would be, seeing as all AV club members had a free period during second block.

I skidded around the corner and sprinted into the library's back entrance, avoiding the gaze of our ancient librarian. Tiptoeing, I made my way quietly to the computer section, seeing the familiar brown Jewfro poking up from the chair on the far end. My feet carried me silently behind him, and I saw that he was in the process of posting the story on his blog.

"Hello there, Jacob," I said in a low voice. He jumped and whirled around, eyes wide in fright.

"W-what do you want?" He asked in his annoying, squeaky voice. "I'm n-not afraid of you, y'know."

"Yeah, very convincing," I replied sarcastically. "So, here's the deal. You're _not_ going to post that story, and you're going to write a formal apology in its place saying that this was all a big misunderstanding; or something very, very bad is going to happen to you."

Jacob pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down his nose in nervous sweat, and seemed to try and muster up courage, if that was possible.

"You don't have any standing at this school," He said somewhat-confidently. "You can't do anything to me."

"I don't need popularity on my side for this. Plus you're already at the bottom of the social pyramid. It wouldn't make a difference to you." I leaned in close to his face, which now started twitching. "This time, you wouldn't even know what hit you."

"Aah!" He whimpered and covered his face, spouting words. "Okay, fine, I won't post it, I won't post it!"

"And…?" I prompted.

"And I'll write an apology! I'll do anything! Just please don't hurt me!"

Satisfied, I stood up straight and smirked.

"Easy as pie," I said to myself, hoping that he didn't realize I was bluffing the entire time. Turning to the computer screen, I forced the sniveling boy's head towards the almost-finished gossip story. "Delete it."

"Done," he said after a few mouse clicks.

"Good. Now write what I'm about to say…"

* * *

**SPOV**

Rage filled my body, and my ears popped with my incoming anger. However, by the time my eyes had flicked across the screen a few times and my brain had registered the words, another text made my phone vibrate.

**[COMPLETE MISUNDERSTANDING!]**

**[Rachel Berry story is false!]**

**[Full apology on interactive blog!]**

**[Sorry!]**

I chuckled to myself, and the anger drained out of me.

Thank God for Quinn's skill at intimidation.

* * *

**QPOV**

"Thanks for that," a low voice said in my ear as I exited the door of my class. I grinned and stooped so that Rachel could sling an arm around my shoulders as we walked down the busy hall to lunch.

"Anytime. He was too easy to scare anyway."

"I bet. So, do you know what I was thinking?"

"Hmm… well, it's _you_, so it probably had something to do with either Glee or me," I said with a smirk. The brunette gasped in indignation.

"And just _what_ are you insinuating by that?"

"Uh, which one? That you have no life, or that you're obsessed with me?" My smirk grew even wider as Rachel hit me in the arm in a huff.

"Either one," she mumbled. She stomped ahead a little, trying to do a walking storm off.

I ran up behind her and grabbed her hand, interlacing our fingers and bringing it up to brush my lips across her knuckles. Rachel blushed and shook her head a little, and I took this as a sign of defeat.

"So what _were_ you thinking?" I asked casually, keeping our hands interlocked.

"I was _thinking_ that we should do a number for Glee."

"Really?" I said with a groan. "But we both already performed this morning!"

"You heard Mr. Schuester; we must practice for Nationals! And he also said that we can perform as many times as we want for the Glee club – which almost never happens. Come on Quinn, we need to take advantage of this opportunity to further our ambitions in singing and performi-"

"Okay _fine_, we can do a number for Glee club." Sensing her victorious smirk, I added, "And don't look so smug with yourself. It was just to get you to stop talking."

"Oh…" She murmured, shoulders slumping and expression falling. Oh, _shit_, she took that to heart… I am an idiot. Once again.

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way! Rachel, I love listening to you talk," I pulled her to face me, "It's adorable."

"But you just said-"

"It doesn't matter what I just said. I was being stupid. I would never again say something like that and mean it with malice. I can promise you that."

"Promise?" She asked tentatively. I held out my pinky towards her.

"Pinky promise." This caused Rachel to grin and link her pinky with mine. I pulled her into a quick hug, but the football thugs chose that moment to walk past us in their usual crude manner.

"Hey Fabray! I didn't know Berry turned you into a lezbo too!"

I stood in shock for a few moments, before I stepped out into the middle of the hallway with hateful fire burning through my veins.

"Karofsky!" I yelled, causing the lumbering boy to turn towards me with a raised eyebrow. "You know, now that you brought it up, I can't quite remember the last time I saw you with a girl… Is there something you need to tell all of us?" I motioned to the crowd of still students around us, pressed against the lockers to avoid danger.

"Fuck you! Just because you associate with all of the gays doesn't mean the rest of us do too!" He said after a bit of spluttering.

"But it would be so very, very easy to convince everyone that you really do have something to hide. Would you like me to try?" I asked in a dangerously cocky voice.

"Whatever, leave me alone, bitch," He said, turning away and starting to walk down the hallway again.

"Oh, no, you don't get away that easily!" I ran up and grabbed him by the back of his letterman.

"What do you want with me?" Dave hissed in my face, his eyes panicky. "Who knows, maybe you really are gay! Can you look me straight in the eye and say that's not true?"

I stared at him, seeing not a tough-looking 17 year-old; but, instead, a scared little boy who was lashing out as best he could.

"And can you look _me_ in the eye and say that you're not either?" I whispered carefully. His whole face morphed into confusion and fear, and his eyes grew wide.

"Then we understand each other?" I whispered again. Dave nodded rapidly and backpedalled down the hall. All the breath I had been holding in my lungs was expelled in one huge sigh. I leaned back against the lockers beside me, feeling exhausted.

That was a HUGE leap of faith to take, but I think it worked.

A hand slipped into mine, and I turned my head to see Rachel looking up at me with those gorgeous chocolate-brown eyes.

"What just happened?" She asked, voice laced with curiosity.

"Nothing," I said with a shake of my head, "we just came to a mutual understanding."

"You okay?" She asked, this time out of concern.

"I will be," I breathed, bouncing off the lockers and walking once more towards the cafeteria.

5 minutes later, when I was sitting with Santana and Brittany – Rachel was buying lunch – I was hit with a barrage of questions.

"Where were you guys this morning?"

"What was up with that gossip text about Rachel?"

"Is she okay?"

"Are you okay?"

"Did anything happen?"

"What did you do, Fabray?"

I held up my hands in a defensive position. "Guys, guys, guys, chill out! Here, I'll tell you the abbreviated version…"

And so, when Rachel arrived and sat down at the table, she was surprised by a very enthusiastic hug from Brittany.

"That sucks, Berry, I'm sorry," Santana said in the gentle voice she reserves for Britt and me.

"Ah," Rachel said, swallowing the grape she was chewing, "so she told you, did she?"

"Yeah…" I said sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. I suppose I _could_ have waited for Rachel to tell her own story.

"You know, if it wasn't these two," she remarked, pointing in turn at Brittany and Santana with her fork, "I would be upset. But whatever." She shrugged and resumed eating.

"So can I slushy the girl now?" Santana asked after a few moments of silence.

"_No_," the rest of us chorused.

"Freaking killjoys…" She muttered sullenly.

* * *

"Fabray," my Latina friend whispered, grabbing my sleeve and holding me back as Brittany and Rachel walked out the doors of the cafeteria.

"What?" I asked snarkily, readjusting my shirt at the shoulder.

"We need to do a song for the Hobbit."

I groaned audibly.

"Seriously? Jeez, that's three performances this week, _plus_ I was planning to do another one even before you all decided to perform so much," I muttered irritably. Well, Glee club, get ready for The Quinn Fabray Singing Experience. *insert annoying announcer voice here*

"Is that all?" I asked, trying to walk away.

"No, get back here," she said, grabbing my forearm this time.

"What now?"

Santana forced me to make eye contact with her.

"Are you okay?" She asked with sincerity. It panged me to my heart when Santana was like this. It reminded me that there is always an emotional side of a situation.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I shook my head, my mind suddenly drawn aware to the problem I had shoved in a corner all day.

"Wait," I said, my voice cracking, "did Brittany tell you?" I understood if she did, but it still kind of betrayed my trust.

"No," Santana said, chuckling and shaking her head. "I watched you during your performance this morning. I saw the look on your face. I know that look. Hell, I _had_ that look for years at a time."

"So, you…" I paused, nervous. "… you know?"

"Nope," the Latina said, shaking her head again. "All I know is that you're hurting, and you hate yourself for it. Although I have a hunch…" She trailed off, and I picked up the silence.

"I think I'm gay."

"So you do…" She muttered, nodding her head sagely.

"Is that all you have to say?" I asked after a few moments of silence. Santana shrugged.

"Did you want me to say more?"

"Well, you're pretty much the only one who would know almost exactly what I'm going through. Do you have any wisdom to impart?" I said, and it came out more snidely than I had intended.

"Would you listen?"

I breathed a sigh, my shoulders sagged, and I relented.

"You're probably right. I- I think I just need to figure this out for myself right now. I'll probably ask for help soon."

"And so it is. Now," She said sprightly, looping her arm through mine, "let's go get our girlfriends."

"Santana…" I warned.

"What? Oh, come on, I never specified who was who! For all you know, I could have been implying that we were all just one big foursome or something," She said in her smug "I'm Santana Fucking Lopez and I can say whatever the hell I want to" voice. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever."

"But you wouldn't even seriously _consider_ it until now, so I still win!" She ended in a melodic trill and skipped forward to grab Britt around the waist. The blonde laughed and kicked her feet a little as the Latina spun her around. I slid against the locker until I was leaning beside Rachel, who was watching the two cheerleaders frolic in the fast-filling hallway.

"Okay you two, we get it, you're completely in love with each other," I quipped, before dropping my voice to a murmur. "You don't have to rub it in our faces…"

"It's fine, Quinn," Rachel said, her arms circling my waist and her chin resting on my shoulder, "It's cute."

I tried to ignore the light flutter of Rachel's breath against my collarbone – but failed – as my voice dropped to a murmur again.

"And so it is…"

**A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a while, I know. Sorry about that. I just went through the absolutely most fucked up 2-3 months of my life (that I can remember) plus I was out of the country for a while. Anyways, sorry about the LONG wait. This isn't as long of a chapter, but I thought this was a pretty good place to end this chapter. I'm sincerely sorry about the last chapter, by the way. That's what happens when I try to write when I'm hyper. My weirdo-ADHD-bipolar-crazy was coming out in my writing, and it ended up sucking, I know. So, for those people who were getting impatient, HERE IS QUINN REALIZING SHE'S GAY. Big step. Yeah. She still won't admit it to Rachel for several chapters, because there's only going to be a couple chapters MAX after that until the end of the story. I hope that this appeases y'all so that I don't have to hurry up and finish the story for you guys to be happy. :/ So I decided that this story WILL NOT have a sequel. ****_But,_**** don't panic. I will probably write some other stories using the same 'verse as this. And this will have an epilogue. So I hope that this chapter is better than some of my other ones, (definitely the last one), and that you guys will read and review! Please review! Peace out. :)**


	27. I Don't Want To Be Lonely

I am not Ryan Murphy, and therefore do not own Glee, its characters, its affiliates, FOX network, or anything else legally owned and copyrighted by Glee or FOX network. Extensive enough for ya?

Chapter 27

**QPOV**(I know it's been a while as Quinn. Have patience.)

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Bored?" A voice whispered in my ear, causing me to jump in my seat, banging my knees on the underside of the desk, and the pencil that I had been tapping against the cover of my notebook to fly up in the air – then come back down to hit me in the head.

"Miss Fabray?" My teacher asked, looking away from what she was writing on the board about independent clauses. "Are you all right?"

"Bah- uh- I just- erm- yeah, I'm fine," I finally managed to get out.

"Then can you please stop disrupting my class?" She then turned back towards the board, and I looked down at my desk, ears burning. Muffled giggles drew my attention, and I turned to my left to see Rachel turning bright red with barely-suppressed laughter.

"And I suppose you're happy with yourself?" I hissed at her, causing her to crack up even more. I groaned and sat back in my seat. Jeez, and I actually _like_ this girl? I kind of wish I could go back to thinking she was only some strange, uptight, snobbish, singer-diva.

…

Nah, I like it better this way.

I ruminated about the first day I really got to know Rachel Berry. It seems like so long ago, even though it really has only been a week and a half. I feel like my life has changed completely in that week and a half, and I'm pretty sure I would be okay with things not ever going back to the way they were. Seriously, I was miserable before. And then this rambunctious bundle of energy waltzed into my bubble of self-loathing and masquerades.

A light touch on my arm brought me back to reality. Rachel now seemed to be concerned about me, looking up with huge, guilty, melted chocolate, brown eyes. My knees go weak every single time she looks at me with those, and I feel like I'm falling and floating and being shaken upside down and spun around and-

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" I asked with a dopey expression. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Me? Mad at you?" I scoffed. "Never."

She reached over and grabbed my hand, and our fingers interlaced by instinct.

"So what were you so deep in thought about?" The brunette asked, looking up at the teacher for a couple seconds before paying full attention to me. I looked up to the front as well, but realized we had already covered this subject last week, and turned my attention to Rachel as well. Suddenly, an idea started niggling at the back of my mind. My lungs expanded to accommodate my deep breath, and I let it out slowly.

"C- can we go see my mom?" I asked tentatively. Rachel gave me a sympathetic smile and kissed my shoulder.

"Of course. Do you want to go today?"

"Yeah," I said, relieved that my request wasn't as outlandish as it seemed in my head. "Can we go after school?"

"Absolutely. But afterwards," she warned, lifting her index finger and pointing in the general direction of my nose, "we must practice. I want to have our performance ready by tomorrow morning to maximize our opportunities."

"Very well," I sighed, rolling my eyes slightly. "But just keep in mind that not everybody has the same knack for almost-impromptu performances like you do. I actually need to _work_ on a song before I can nail it in performance."

"Details, details," Rachel said with a wave of her hand. I giggled, and then she giggled, and then we both ended up giggling not-so-quietly.

"Quinn and Rachel, can you two be quiet, or am I going to have to separate you?"

"We'll be fine," Rachel said, holding back her snickers.

"Sometimes, I swear, I'm teaching kindergartners…" I heard our teacher mutter before turning back to the board and continuing her droning lecture on how to use quotation marks.

The students around us were looking at us; some with wary eyes, and some with almost horrified faces.

"Seriously, what is _up_ with those two? I mean, since when did Quinn Fabray start hanging with the freaks?" One girl muttered to her friend.

"Didn't you hear?" The other girl replied. "It was last week. They say that's why she got kicked off the squad."

"I bet she caught Berry germs or something," the first girl sneered, but the other one shushed her hurriedly.

"Shut up! You don't want her to hear you! God knows what the Fearsome Four would do to you if they knew you said that to her…"

"Which one?" The first girl asked cluelessly, trying to gesture *subtly* between the two of us (and failing).

"Does it matter?"

The two girls turned back to the front and started gossiping about Sam Evans and the rumors that he's gay and sleeping with everyone.

I recognized the two of them. The second girl was on the Cheerios, and used to be Lauren's right-hand girl. The other was constantly following the two around, trying to leech off some of the popularity. I suppose they split off when Lauren fell from being captain. I wonder who will become captain next if I'm not on the squad and Lauren is obviously not on top anymore. I'll ask Santana later.

"Does that bother you?" Rachel asked as she followed my line of sight to the two girls in front of us. I shrugged and started doodling random things on the corner of my notebook.

"Why would it?"

"Because you used to be one of them, and now you're the butt of their jokes."

"No," I said, shaking my head vigorously. "I was not them. I was mean, I was a bitch, but I was not that shallow. When I gossiped it was to hurt someone, and not just for the pleasure of gossiping. I didn't gossip like them, even though my reason is much worse…"

"But still. You fell from being the leader of the pack. Doesn't that hurt?"

I shrugged again.

"Not when I realize how sickening it was. Remembering how it hurt you makes me physically sick to stomach, and any slight misgivings I might have had about the current situation are dashed," I said with sincerity. "I was serious when I said that I would _never_ say treat you that way ever again, or let anyone else do so either."

Rachel leaned over and tried to give me a sideways hug, before giving up with an "oof!"

"Freaking metal bar thingy!" She said, vehemently glaring at the offending steel rod in the structure of the desk, which was keeping her from leaning between our desks fully.

"Wow," I laughed, "the mood swings you go through are just _incredible."_

The bell rang at that moment, and Rachel hopped up and grabbed her bag. She shouldered it and called over her shoulder, "That's why you love me!"

_No, I love you for many other reasons, too…_

* * *

**RPOV (finally! :j)**

Most people think that I babble incessantly because either I just have a lot to say, or because I want to hear my own voice. Neither is really correct. If I wanted to hear my own voice, I would sing all the time. Which I do anyway. And, to disprove the other reason, nobody _really_ has as much to say as the amount of things I babble about.

The real reason behind me talking so much can be split into two categories: aggression and defense. Let's start with aggression, as it's the type that I use most often. Basically, if I need to persuade someone to do something (or not do something), or if I want to get an answer out of someone, then I talk until they give me whatever I want just so I'll shut the hell up. You should try it; it's very effective. It also works excellently as a distracting maneuver.

The second category, defense, is if I want to protect myself. Suppose if I am hiding the truth, or I don't want to tell someone something. I just talk until the other person gives up or gets mad – either one works.

After a while, people sort of stop listening to what I say. It's kind of a let-down sometimes, like when I want to have an actual conversation with someone, but I've gotten used to it. It's useful when I really want to cover something up.

The only problem is when I get really upset. Then I just stop talking, and see what people do then. Most people (that care, which isn't very many) just play it off as me being strange. A few people here and there will try to figure out what's wrong, but almost nobody ever persists until I tell them.

Anyways, protecting myself is not why I'm mentioning this.

I am currently babbling in the car.

In aggression mode to distract.

And Quinn is about to pull her hair out.

"Oh Thank God!" She exclaimed as the car pulled into the driveway of the Fabray Mansion. I smirked slightly. So now she's _glad_ to be at the place she ran away from..? But I succeeded in getting her less nervous than before, which was my goal all along.

The blonde jumped out of the car and almost started running towards her house, before realizing where she was and freezing. I calmly shut the door and walked over to her. My hand reached out and grabbed hers, and I started on the path up to the door; Quinn followed behind without a word.

As I rang the elegant doorbell, I turned to see Quinn looking considerably paler than usual. I squeezed her hand reassuringly, and faced the mahogany door again to see it open and reveal a blonde woman who looked much different than I had seen before. This woman was collected and calm, but not unnaturally so. She was nothing like the drunken mess that had "greeted" me at this door before, and she was much less frazzled than the woman that showed up at my house.

"Quinn! And R… Rachel, right? It's so wonderful of you to come by! Come in, please," she said, sounding genuinely glad to see us. Well, she was probably just glad to see Quinn.

We stepped over the threshold and into the Fabrays' house. My jaw dropped as I took in the sight around me. However impressive this house – palace, more like – was from the outside, it was tenfold so on the inside. The walls were all lined with either expensive-looking paintings or professionally taken photographs of the Fabrays. A huge glass chandelier hung from the high, vaulted ceiling and cast yellow light around the hall. A large doorway to the right led to what seemed like a kitchen, and another to the left looked like it went to a den. A staircase ahead curled around to lead to balcony hallways on either side of the room, with closed doors lining the walls. Below the staircase were a few more closed doors. Everything contained an air of grandeur and, at the same time, secrets.

A sharp poke in my ribs caused my widened eyes to narrow and move to look at Quinn, whose lips were pressed in a thin line and whose eyes were flicking around in a panicked way. I slipped my arm around her waist and moved to follow Judy Fabray, who was walking into the doorway on the left. I was right; it was a den. The blonde woman motioned for us to take a seat on the velour chairs available.

"Would you like anything? Water, tea?" She asked tentatively.

"I'm fine, thank you," I responded, trying to be polite despite my distrust of Quinn's mother.

"Quinn?"

The ex-cheerleader shook her head without uttering a word. She peered curiously at her mother, seeming to be judging what level of coherence and sanity she was dealing with.

"So what caused you two to come see me?" Judy asked us, eyes flicking from Quinn, to me, and back to Quinn.

After a few moments had passed and Quinn showed no signs of responding, I jumped in for her.

"Quinn and I just wanted to see how you were doing. I know I said that we would come back in a couple of weeks, but you seemed to be progressing much faster than we anticipated when you stopped by on Saturday."

Quinn's mother nodded in understanding, her gaze returning once again to her daughter's face. The younger blonde's mouth was twisted at an angle, and her hazel eyes were filled with distrust and suspicion.

"How is your… rehab-thing going?" Quinn asked finally.

"It's not rehab," Judy explained, relieved that the ex-cheerleader was finally communicating. "It's a 12-step program called Alcoholics Anonymous. Its purpose is to rehabilitate, yes, but it's not _rehab_ in the common understanding."

"So it- it's like therapy?"

"No, it's not exactly like therapy. It's more like a support group for people addicted to alcohol."

"But what's the use in a bunch of drunks getting together to talk about drinking?"

This caused Judy and me to chuckle a bit to ourselves. I did so because I knew what the general idea of 12-step programs was, but I could understand why Quinn was so confused. I myself was confused when my cousin had told me about it. But that's a story for another day.

"It helps us get to know ourselves and our illness better. Trust me, it helps."

"Okay," the younger blonde said with a shrug. "So what have you been doing, since you aren't drinking or making my life miserable?"

Before I could let out the shocked "Quinn!" that was on the tip of my tongue, the girl herself interrupted me.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. That was meant to come out as something much more polite. But I really am interested; what have you been doing to occupy your time?"

"Well, actually," the older woman said, drawing in a deep breath, "I have been looking for a job. We can't live forever on what your father left us."

The Fabrays were living on Russell's money? That can't be healthy for people trying to remove him from their lives.

"That's great, Ms. Fabray!" I exclaimed, trying to drum up some sort of reaction in my momentarily-mute companion.

"Thank you, Rachel. Actually, what _I'm_ wondering most about is how you and Quinn have become such fast friends. She's never mentioned you before, that I can recall."

"Well, that's quite an interesting stor-"

"I've got this, Rach," Quinn said, suddenly speaking up and placing a hand gently on my knee. She then turned back to her mother with a still partially-guarded expression. "I've tortured Rachel for years at school. Santana and I made fun of her, tossed frozen drinks in her face almost every day, called her names, sometimes would physically intimidate her, sabotaged her every idea, and I kept trying to steal her boyfriend."

"Only because I stole him first…" I muttered, but was cut off with a roll of the eyes from Quinn.

"Quinn, that's horrible! Why are you even near her?" Judy asked, directing the question at me. I smiled slightly and nodded back towards the younger blonde, who was speaking again.

"Mom, calm down, I've already apologized numerous times. She and I have already been through this fiasco. So, basically, Rachel offered me a place to stay, two Fridays ago. I didn't want to come home that day, and she let me stay at her house. I just… didn't ever end up leaving after that." Quinn shrugged, shaking her head as if to get out the bad memories of her home life – despite the fact that we were _in_ her home. "And if you live with someone, it's hard to not become," She paused and gave me a strange and unreadable look, "… friends with them."

_Especially when you fall asleep cuddling with them every night…_ I cut off that train of thought before it could go any further. I had spent an immense amount of energy over the past two weeks trying desperately to quell my feelings towards Quinn. I had just about gotten to the point where I had truly accepted that she would probably never love me back, and that it was better for me to just move on to someone that might actually have an interest in me. If that was possible.

"That's certainly quite… interesting. I'm very glad you found someone to lean on, Quinn. And I'm glad, Rachel, that you were there for her. I just hope that it isn't a one-sided 'relationship' here, which I'm guessing it's not," Judy said, smiling a little at our hands, with the fingers having intertwined while Quinn was talking.

"It's not," the younger blonde said, grinning. After a pause, she expressed another sentiment.

"You seem to be doing much better."

"Thank you, honey, I appreciate that. I feel much better. Maybe at some point I'll be good enough for you again." The woman's eyes misted over with unshed tears, as did Quinn's.

"Maybe sometime soon," her daughter responded. She cleared her throat and stood up, seemingly trying to brush off the emotion-laden tension in the room. "We should be going. I'll stop by again real soon, okay?"

"That'd be great."

Quinn surprised both her mother and I by suddenly grabbing the older woman in a tight embrace. After a few moments of shock, Judy hugged her daughter back, and a couple of those tears did slide down her cheeks.

"I'm so, so sorry," she whispered into the top of Quinn's head. When Quinn stood back, she nodded.

"I know."

She then walked out the door and most likely to the car.

"Goodbye, Ms. Fabray. It was a pleasure to meet you," I said hurriedly, backing out the door as well in an attempt to follow Quinn.

"Same to you," she said as I walked down the path towards the car, where Quinn was indeed sitting in the passenger seat.

As I climbed into the driver's side, I saw Quinn's cheeks stained with tear tracks. She spotted me staring, and the look in her eyes pleaded with me to not say anything, to just drive. I complied, vowing silently to myself to hold her whenever she would need to cry.

* * *

**QPOV**

"No, Quinn, it's step, step, glide, switch-spin _then _turn! You're turning too early!"

I let my body fall out of the position it had been holding, and I gasped for air as I trudged over to the water bottles in the corner. Feebly, I popped mine open and chugged down the contents, trying to ignore the sweat dripping off my body in rivulets.

"Rachel," I said, slowly gaining back my breath, "I thought the point of us performing was to _sing_, not to dance!"

"You should know, Quinn," Rachel reprimanded, "that performing is as much about the choreography as it is about the vocals. You were on the Cheerios; you should be able to value stuff like this. Santana, Brittany, and you would do this all the time."

"Yes, and we can do it without _this much_ effort! It was just a thing where we would all be able to communicate without speaking and know what to do almost instinctually. We wouldn't have to rehearse _this fucking much_!"

"Language! And I'm sorry that I don't possess these magical skills of telepathy that you three seem to have – although I do insist that I'm part psychic – but we must practice in order for us both to be on the same page while in front of the Glee Club."

"Okay," I resigned grudgingly. "But can we at least take a break? I'm pretty sure I've lost, like, half the water in my body over the past hour."

"Of course!" Rachel walked over to where I was, grabbing her own water bottle. "I was getting a bit tired as well."

I looked over to see the brunette smirking, and I reached over and swatted at her arm, earning an even bigger grin from her.

"Girls! Are you down here?" A voice called from the stairs across the room.

"Yeah, Daddy, we're here," Rachel shouted back at her father. Leroy descended the stairs and peered into the dark-ish basement, raising his eyebrows at our disheveled state.

"What are you two doing? It looks like Quinn here just ran a marathon."

Rachel grinned again and turned to take in my appearance. I suddenly felt rather self-conscious and ran my hand through my choppy hair to try and un-muss it. Didn't work.

"We're practicing for our Glee performance tomorrow!" She said in a chipper voice, causing Leroy's eyebrows to float even higher.

"Interesting. Well, come up and have dinner. And I think that you should probably give it a rest. I don't think our dear blonde friend can take much more of your 'practice'."

I shot Leroy an intensely grateful look, and he just smiled with a twinkle in his eye. The man then turned and walked back up the stairs.

"Well, I suppose he's right," Rachel sighed. "But at least I got to see you all hot and sweaty at least one time." Her tone was flirty, but I could tell that there was some form of underlying sadness, and it made my heart hurt.

The brunette bent over to grab her towel from the floor, and I was left staring, entranced by her yoga pants-covered behind. I snapped out of my daze quickly, though, and thoughts rapidly flew across my mind as she stood up straight. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the urge to touch Rachel became too strong; and I practically ran at the girl, wrapping her in a sideways hug.

"Well hello there," she said, turning to hold me in a proper hug. "Is there any reason for this sudden ambush?"

I shook my head, burying my face in the crook of her neck and inhaling the vanilla smell that was purely Rachel. My arms gripped her tighter, and I focused on the idea of never letting her go.

"I just really, _really_ care about you," I muttered against her skin. My lips were left slightly parted against the bend in her neck, and I wondered what it would be like if I just flicked my tongue out a little bit-

NO.

I have to deal with this panicky feeling that is ever-present in my gut before I can consider involving Rachel in any of this.

We slowly detangled and stood for a few moments in comfortable silence, until we heard Leroy's voice calling us from upstairs.

"We should probably go-"

"Yeah," Rachel said, agreeing. I slowly reached forward, and slipped my hand into hers, intertwining our fingers as always. We trudged up the stairs, exhausted, both silently acknowledging that there was no way we were practicing again tonight.

* * *

**RPOV**

"Hey, Rach and Q! How are you guys doing? You look tired."

Quinn and I turned our heads slowly to see Brittany skipping up to us with Santana following several paces behind.

"Yeah, Britt, Rachel had us practicing a lot last night for Glee," Quinn replied, feebly returning the quick hug that the blonde girl attacked us with.

"Oh, okay. See, when Lord Tubbington's eyes go red like that, it usually means he's been smoking again. You haven't been smoking, have you? Because if you were, then that would be really bad and I wouldn't let you do it anymore."

"We're not smoking," I said, cracking a smile.

"She means it, too," Santana said, catching up to her girlfriend at my locker. "She forced me to quit smoking cigars."

"I always did wonder how you got your voice to sound like that," I mused, moving to stand nearer to Santana.

"So, Berry, I've been thinking," the Latina started.

"Always a bad pastime, especially with you," I muttered, causing Santana to scowl at me.

"I'm thinking that we need to plan this giant party of yours sometime."

"Look, Santana, I get that you want to help, but we can't do anything illeg-"

"Don't get your panties in a wad, Berry," She responded snarkily. "I won't do anything excessively stupid or reckless. I'm a professional." She smirked and leant back, crossing her arms in a smug posture.

"Fine," I said with a sigh. "Do you want to come over today after Cheerios practice? Quinn will probably be there, but I can tell her to buzz off for a couple of hours."

"Wow, I didn't know you would have it in you. Is Rachel Berry actually becoming somewhat of a badass?"

"No!" I gasped indignantly. "I am no such thing!"

"Sure," Santana drawled, rolling her eyes at me. "Yeah, I'll be there today."

"Okay, good-"

I was cut off by an "Oh, shit!" from behind us. I spun around in fright, wondering what could have possibly happened this much earlier than school started.

"What?"

Quinn showed me her watch, which read 7:00.

"Fuck," I mumbled grabbing Santana's forearm and dragging her down the hallway, where Quinn and Brittany were already fast-walking and skipping (respectively) towards the choir room.

"Dude, calm down!" Santana yelped. "I don't appreciate being manhandled!"

"We're late for Glee," I hissed, walking faster.

"And why do I care?"

"Maybe you don't," my eyes rolled of their own accord, "but I do. Quinn and I have a performance, and I _don't_ want to be late."

"Oh, okay. You could've just told me that," She said, wrenching free of my grip and jogging up ahead. I started jogging after her, and we slid into the room seconds before Mr. Schuester did.

"Hey girls, take a seat," He said, oblivious to the fact that we were planning on doing so already. "So I'll make this quick, because we still haven't performances from quite a few people. Who is prepared with a number for this week's dual topics of regret and commitment?"

Quinn and I raised our hands, and I looked around to see that so had Tina and Sam.

"All right, are any of you working together, or are these all solos?" Mr. Schuester asked.

"Quinn and I are performing together," I replied after a few moments of no one responding.

"I'm by myself," Sam said quietly, sinking a little bit in his seat.

"So am I," Tina said.

"Okay, great, how about you start us off, Tina?"

The Asian girl nodded and stood up, descending the risers and walking to whisper something in Brad's ear.

The piano slowly started to play a gentle melody, and Tina's tremulous voice filled the room.

_All around me are familiar faces  
Worn out places  
Worn out faces_

_Bright and early for the daily races  
Going nowhere  
Going nowhere _

_And the tears are filling up their glasses  
No expression  
No expression_

_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow  
No tomorrow  
No tomorrow _

_And I find it kinda funny  
I find it kinda sad  
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had  
I find it hard to tell you 'cause I find it hard to take  
When people run in circles it's a very very _

_Mad world  
Mad world _

_Children waiting for the day they feel good  
Happy Birthday  
Happy Birthday _

_And to feel the way that every child should  
Sit and listen  
Sit and listen _

_Went to school and I was very nervous  
No one knew me  
No one knew me_

_Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson  
Look right through me  
Look right through me _

_And I find it kinda funny  
I find it kinda sad  
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had  
I find it hard to tell you 'cause I find it hard to take  
When people run in circles it's a very very_

_Mad world  
Mad world_

_Mad world  
Mad world_

"That was beautiful, Tina! What prompted your song choice?"

"I guess I thought that what we should all regret the most is how backwards and corrupt human nature is," She said, shrugging.

"Very deep," Mr. Schuester said, clapping with the rest of us. "Sam, do you want to go next?"

"Sure," the blonde boy said, walking towards the center of the room with a slight hunching of his shoulders.

The electric guitar player started strumming right as Sam sang the first few words.

_I just wanna run  
Hide it away  
Run because they're chasing me down  
I just wanna run  
Throw it away  
Run before they're finding me out _

The rest of the band started playing, and Sam looked up with a fire in his eye.

_I just wanna run_

_I just wanna run  
I'm out here all alone  
I try to call your house  
Can't reach you on the phone  
I gather up the nerve  
I'm packing up my bag  
It's more than you deserve  
Don't treat me like a drag _

_I'm feeling like I  
Keep on talking I'm repeating  
Myself my words lost all meaning  
I keep talking I repeat  
Myself _

_I just wanna run  
Hide it away  
Run because they're chasing me down  
I just wanna run  
Throw it away  
Run before they're finding me out _

_I just wanna run_

_I just wanna run  
Like a game of chess  
I predict your moves  
I think I know you better,  
Better than you do  
I'm sick of feeling cheap  
Cheated and abused  
Sick of losing sleep  
Thinking about you_

_I'm feeling like I  
Keep on talking I'm repeating  
Myself my words lost all meaning  
I keep talking I repeat  
Myself_

_I just wanna run  
Hide it away  
Run because they're chasing me down  
I just wanna run  
Throw it away  
Run before they're finding me out _

_I just wanna run_

_ I just wanna run_

_Throw it away_

_I just wanna run  
Hide it away  
Run because they're chasing me down  
I just wanna run  
Throw it away  
Run before they're finding me out  
I just wanna run_

Sam finished with a bow, and we all clapped enthusiastically.

When he first joined, it didn't seem like the blonde boy would make that big of a difference. I mean, sure, he had a pretty good voice, but he didn't have the drive to try to use it. It's not like someone with an exceptional ability can just wait around for life to happen for them. He would've had to have ambition and aspirations, and this didn't seem the case.

But now, Sam seemed to be taking Glee seriously and pouring his emotions into his performances. He was taking advantage of all the opportunities Mr. Schuester gave us for performances, and this showed how he was starting to come out of his shell. Maybe he would be a great voice to incorporate in more with the set list for Nationals.

And then there was the fact that he got in a fight with Finn (sort of because of me). Maybe Sam would be someone to become friends with-

"Rachel? Quinn? Are you two ready?"

"Of course, Mr. Schuester," I said brightly as Quinn and I stood up. I turned around when we reached the center of the room, and addressed the group as a whole. "Now, I understand that both Quinn and I have already performed this week, but Mr. Schuester did say that we could perform as much as we would like. Also, Sam's already performed this week, anyway. This song may seem somewhat different than what Quinn or I usually sing, but this time before Nationals is when we should be exploring all avenues for song selection, and I want to emulate this in this assignment."

"Erm, thank you, Rachel. Are you ready now?"

Quinn nodded at the band, and the drummer started playing, followed by the rest of the band. I backed up, and the blonde stepped forward to sing the first verse.

_Now it seems to me  
That you know just what to say  
But words are only words  
Can you show me something else  
Can you swear to me  
That you'll always be this way  
Show me how you feel  
More than ever baby _

I stepped forward, astonished that Quinn performed her choreography flawlessly, despite all the mistakes she had made in practice last night. Focusing my mind back on the present, I sang the first half of the chorus, letting her take the lead for the second part as we danced with and around each other.

_I don't wanna be lonely no more  
I don't wanna have to pay for this  
I don't want another lover at my door  
It's just another heartache on my list _

_I don't wanna be angry no more  
You know I could never stand for this  
So when you tell me that you love me know for sure  
I don't wanna be lonely anymore _

_Oh oh oh oh_

Quinn and I "conversed" with the lines, as I said a couple, and she would say the next one or two, and the next verse bounced back and forth between us, mirroring our movements.

_Now it's hard for me  
When my heart's still on the mend _

_Open up to me  
And I can do your girlfriend_

I'm pretty sure she just glared at someone in the audience, but I don't know… She kept singing, and I replied to her at the end.

_And you sing to me  
And it's harmony_

_Though what you do to me is everything  
We can say anything  
Just to get you back again _

Our voices melded together to finish the verse and we sang together through the chorus.

_Why can't we just try?_

_ I don't wanna be lonely no more  
I don't wanna have to pay for this  
I don't want another lover at my door  
It's just another heartache on my list_

_I don't wanna be angry no more  
You know I could never stand for this  
So when you tell me that you love me know for sure  
I don't wanna be lonely anymore_

_Oh oh oh oh_

Quinn brought her voice down to a soft lull, and we made eye contact as she sang the next lines… to me?

_What if I was good to you? _

I replied just as softly,

_What if you were good to me?_

We both grinned and turned back to the audience.

_What if I could hold you til I feel you move inside of me?  
And what if it was paradise  
And what if we were symphonies  
What if I gave all my life to  
Find some way to stand beside you_

_I don't wanna be lonely no more  
I don't wanna have to pay for this  
I don't want another lover at my door  
It's just another heartache on my list_

_I don't wanna be angry no more  
You know I could never stand for this  
So when you tell me that you love me know for sure  
I don't wanna be lonely anymore_

_Oh oh oh oh_

_I don't wanna be lonely anymore_

People had gotten out of their seats by the end, and were singing and dancing with us. Granted, it was a very catchy song, and I was really glad that everyone liked it; but even if the Glee club hated it, I wouldn't care. Quinn sang it with me, almost _to_ me, and that elated feeling doesn't seem like it'll ever go away.

* * *

**QPOV**

"_So_ not subtle _at all_, Fabray."

"Shut up, S," I said, acting like I was trying to actually concentrate on what our teacher was saying about triangles.

"Singing a _love song_ with Berry? What'd you expect, that I'd just pass up a perfectly good opportunity to mock you? Hell naw."

"It wasn't a love song," I hissed, gritting my teeth and breaking my pencil lead because of how hard I was pushing it against the paper.

"'_So when you tell me that you love me know for sure_'? It was totally a love song."

"It was _not_, Santana! Now shut up before I lose it!"

"Okay, okay, calm yourself," the Latina said, eyebrows quirked. "I was just joking around. But anyway, Britts and I need you to meet us during lunch. We want to do a song for the midget tomorrow."

"Yeah, that seems fine," I said absentmindedly, looking for another pencil in my bookbag. Not finding one, I slumped back in my desk, putting my face in my hands in a swiftly failing attempt to calm the unexplainable panic that had been enshrouding my senses since yesterday.

"Hey, are you okay?" Santana asked, placing a hand on my forearm. I shook my head, feeling like I needed to get away from everything, everybody, just to go _somewhere_.

I think Santana raised her hand, because I heard our teacher address her.

"Yes, Miss Lopez?"

"Can I take Quinn to the nurse? She isn't feeling well."

"Yes, I suppose that's all right."

I felt Santana's arms around me, pulling me gently from the seat and out into the hallway.

"I don't need to go to the nurse," I mumbled, my eyes staying shut as my hands came away from my face.

"I know. I just needed an excuse to get you out of the classroom."

I felt the cool surfaces of a locker and the wall behind me, and I was pretty sure that Santana had set me down in a corner along the hallway. I drew my knees up in front of my chest, and hugged them to me, still keeping my eyes shut. Santana's arm snaked around my shoulders, and she sat next to me, holding me as the panic succeeded in sweeping over my mind.

"Everything is just so confusing and difficult and-" I choked a little, but started right back, talking a mile-a-minute. "And there's my mom, who I wanted so bad to get away from but now she's being really nice and getting better and I think I might want to move back in but I can't forget how she hurt me and it still hurts and I feel like she's caused so many of my problems, and then there's Rachel who's so nice and sweet and I don't know what I would do without her but I don't know what to do with that feeling cause I've never had it before and it won't just work itself out, and then there's school where I'm not even on the Cheerios anymore and I don't know what to do with my life without the Cheerios and everything is so confusing to me and on top of that I'm _gay_, which is what I grew up to think is an abomination and that type of thinking was all because of my father and then there's the fact that he left and my family has never been the same after that and that I never dealt with any of those problems and it's like how I never dealt with the feeling of giving up Beth and it still haunts me and San I don't know what to do!" Tears were streaming down my face by the end of my rant, and Santana was hugging me to her tightly, rocking back and forth slightly. I sobbed into her shoulder, grabbing onto the front of her Cheerios uniform like it was the only thing keeping me sane, even though I had lost my sanity a while ago. My brain was filled with spots of color exploding like dynamite, and my limbs went between being completely tense and rigid to losing all strength and willpower.

I managed to stop crying after a little while, but I still didn't want to open my eyes or move.

"Thank God that happened. I thought you were going to keep internalizing all that shit forever."

I chuckled and cracked a wry smile.

"'Cause that's _totally_ what you say after someone's had an emotional breakdown…"

The grip I had on Santana's Cheerios uniform loosened, and I instead just hugged her midsection.

"You're warm…" I mumbled.

"And you're weird," She replied without missing a beat.

"You're one to talk."

"Nope, but since when has that ever stopped me before?"

"Smart-ass."

"Weirdo."

"Whatever. You suck."

"Says the girl who just spent twenty minutes crying on my shoulder."

"Has it really been twenty minutes?" I sat up and opened my eyes, squinting against the harsh light. Santana looked down at her watch.

"Wait… no… hold on… twenty _one_ minutes."

"Jerk," I said, laughing. I pushed her gently in the shoulder, standing up. I moved my jaw around some, feeling my cheeks crack with dried tears. "We should probably get back to class."

"Ah, dammit. I was hoping you would actually be a badass for once and not go back into that hell-hole. I mean, seriously, who really gives a shit about 'the properties of similar polygons'," she drawled, using air quotes. "I think that class is just a waste of our time. We could be going and getting our groove on somewhere, but no, we're stuck listen to some old bat drone on and on about stuff that we're probably never even going to use in life."

"And that's how S, sees it," I said, holding up a "C" with my hand and plastering on my fakest smile. Santana grumbled at me, but we started walking back to class. "I'm serious, though, it's not like anybody's going to care. The only thing you get by being pissed off about school is that it seems even more miserable. Besides, you could sleep through every class and get an A anyway. Your brain is pretty much the size of Einstein's or something."

"Uh-uh, no way. That dude had some fucking weird hair."

"And yet you claim to have _razorblades_ hidden in your hair."

Santana shrugged, but smiled.

"I'm from Lima Heights. We have to intimidate."

"Yeah, right, you and I both know that Lima Heights isn't _nearly_ as bad as you make it sound."

We walked back into the class, and our math teacher looked at me suspiciously.

"Feeling better, Miss Fabray?"

"Much better, thanks."

"Well then go ahead and get to your seat. I was just telling the class that we are going to have a test on Monday."

The class let out a collective groan, and most eyes refocused to the minute hand on the clock until the bell rang.

**A/N: Hey you guys! I'm really really sorry about the delay between chapters. I'll try to update more frequently (operative word being ****_try_****), but school is kicking ass nowadays and I barely even have time for sleep. I'm sorry about the kind of sucky ending for this chapter, but I was going to be going into a whole 'nother scene thing so I thought it would be a good idea to just end the chapter there. I may end up updating relatively soon…? Maybe. So this chapter didn't have much going on, I guess. It's like my equivalent of a filler chapter, even though I try not to write those. Please please please read and review! I'm pretty sure I probably lost readers because of the gap between updates, but if you stuck around, thanks, and please tell me what you think! Kk peace out :)**

**PS: The songs were Mad World by Alex Parks, I Just Wanna Run by The Downtown Fiction, and Lonely No More by Rob Thomas.**

**PPS: Did anyone read the wiki for "I Do"? *cough*QUINNTANA*cough***

**PPPS (last one I promise): This chapter is dedicated to ArmadilloPretzels, and I highly suggest reading her Faberry one-shot! *highly suggested***


	28. What Is This Feeling?

I don't own Glee, as much as I would like to.

Chapter 28

**RPOV**

"Babe, you're having lunch with me," Puck said, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.

"First of all, I've told you repeatedly not to call me 'Babe'," I said with a sigh. "Second of all, why am I eating lunch with you?"

"The Unholy Trinity's doing something together during lunch, and Baby Mama doesn't want you to be alone," He said, before smirking and tacking on, "… babe."

"Fine," I huffed. "But nobody that you associate with is going to beat me up, are they?"

"Naw, it's just the guys from Glee minus Kurt."

"Oh, okay. I suppose that isn't too bad…"

As we walked towards the lunch table arm in arm, most of the guys looked up in astonishment. Artie and Mike raised their eyebrows, but they seemed fine. Sam just grinned, waving a little.

And then there was Finn.

Finn got up immediately, grabbing his stuff and stomping away from the table like a petulant and grumpy four year old.

"Who pissed in _his_ apple juice?" Puck asked as we sat down across from Sam and Mike. They all shrugged, but Artie threw out a theory.

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he feels humiliated because of getting dumped by Rachel."

"Yeah, well, he deserved it," Puck said in an annoyed voice. "If you act like a dick to a girl, they're going to dump you. It's happens to me all the time."

"So, Rachel, what brings you to the guys' table?" Sam asked me, opening and taking a sip from a can of soda.

"Apparently, Quinn, Santana, and Brittany have some form of engagement during lunch; so they pawned me off on Noah."

"Since when did he get so chummy with you girls?" Mike inquired, eyes flicking from me to Puck and back. I shrugged.

"I don't know. It just sort of happened."

A comfortable silence fell among us, until Sam spoke up.

"I really liked the song you and Quinn sang today, by the way."

"Thank you, Sam! Same to you; yours was great."

This seemed to spark a conversation, and our lunch period passed without much of a hitch at all. I figured that I would be ill-fit among the boys, but that really wasn't the case at all. Contrary to popular belief, not all guys are Neanderthals who only talk about videogames and girls. Some are rather decent, and can carry on a conversation longer than "You wanna go out?"

Afterwards, I was standing at my locker, retrieving my textbook for English, when Sam jogged up to me.

"Hey, Rachel."

"Oh, hello, Sam. Was there something you needed?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering if maybe I could have your number? You seem pretty cool, and I was thinking maybe we could hang out sometime-"

Oh my Lord, was Sam asking me out or something? That was something that I would definitely not be able to deal with…

"-just as friends though, you know?"

Thank God.

"Sure," I said with a smile, "That would be great. Here, let me have your phone for a second; I'll put my number in."

He handed it over, and after I typed in my number and handed it back, he grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets, starting to walk away.

"I'll text you sometime. Bye, Rachel."

I waved goodbye, and turned back to see Quinn standing next to my locker.

"Look what the cat dragged in," I said, smirking at the girl, who was staring with narrowed eyes over my shoulder at the retreating form of the bleach-blonde boy.

"Hey!" She said indignantly. "I told Puck to tell you that I had something to do during lunch!"

"He did," I replied, closing the locker door. "But did you not deign it fit to tell me what called you away so urgently?"

"It's a surprise," she whispered in my ear as we walked into our English class.

"Hmm, well, don't we all love surprises? Anyway," I said, sitting in the desk next to Quinn as usual, "I'm going to need you to occupy yourself for a couple hours, later."

"Why?" She asked, pouting.

"Santana's coming over to help me plan something, and you aren't privy to this information."

"Lovely," Quinn said wryly. "But this will be after Cheerio practice, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well that means that I still get a couple hours of having you to myself," She murmured, drawing aimless patterns on my forearm, which was resting on the desktop. I turned my head, hoping that my blush was not visible. I cleared my throat, searching for a way to change the subject.

"So did you find out who became the captain of the Cheerios?"

"Yeah," the blonde said, leaning back in her chair. "It's Santana."

"Wow, really?"

"Mmhmm," She nodded in agreement. "I'm so proud. But she's not very happy, because she got made _co_-captain with Becky Jackson."

"Becky Jackson… isn't that the freshman girl that follows Sue around all the time?"

"Yup."

"Sue made her co-captain? That's interesting."

"Sure is. So will you not tell me what you and Santana are diabolically planning?"

I grinned.

"There's nothing diabolical about it. And no, not unless you tell me what you and the two of them were doing during lunch."

"Damn. Well I can't tell you that."

"Then I suppose I can't tell you what we're planning."

"Will you two shut up?" A boy to our right said in a hushed voice.

"Mind your own business, Jones," Quinn said with a slight snarl.

"Calm down, tiger," I chuckled, gently stroking her arm.

"If I'm a tiger, then you've basically de-clawed and de-fanged me. Jeez, I'm like a freaking kitten now. And I thought I was a lion, anyway?"

"Okay, we've got booze, lights, people, more booze, a disco ball-"

"Why do we need that again?"

Santana paused in her pacing and counting.

"Because everything's better with a disco ball. Duh." She started walking back and forth again, checking things off her mental list on her fingers. "-disco ball, microphone, fog machine, a lack of chaperones, random snack food, and now," She said, not pausing in her pacing and not looking at me, "Now we just need to find a way to make you sexy; something you absolutely failed at last time. Granted, it's going to be a relatively interesting task, given that I'm not sure you have that ability, but we'll give it our best shot…"

I grinned mischievously and stood up, walking slowly until I was standing right behind the Latina, who had her back turned. She seemed to sense my presence and stopped talking.

"Ahem, what are you doing?" She asked, her voice shaking. I shifted closer, until my front was almost touching her back. It was strange; I had just noticed that Santana and I were relatively the same height. I suppose she just always seemed taller because she acted superior. One of my hands moved to her hip, causing Santana to almost flinch.

"Are you nervous yet?" I asked, dropping my voice down to a husk.

"What the hell? I am _not_ playing the nervous game with you, Berry!" Her words showed conviction, but she still had not moved from where she was standing, and she was stammering even more.

"Aw, come on San, you told me to be sexy," My voice dropped even lower, and I lowered my lips to her ear. "I can _totally_… bring… my sexy."

Santana drew in a shaky breath, before seeming to come to her senses and she spun around and backed away.

"No fucking way, okay? I happen to have a girlfriend, and you have that huge fucking mess with Quinn; so why don't _I_ just leave, and you can go take your sexy to _her_, thank you very much!"

My smirk changed to a triumphant grin, and I stepped forward to poke the Latina in the nose, much to her indignation.

"But _I_ made you nervous, _and_ I can be sexy, so HA. I was right. Admit it."

"Okay _fine_," The girl said, running her hand through her loose black hair. "That was acceptable. But I'm still leaving."

"Noo," I whined, falling back onto my bed. "Don't go! Quinn went to her mom's, and if you leave it'll be so _boring_ all by my lonesome. It's not like I would've done anything, anyway. I was just trying to prove a point."

Santana rolled her eyes and shook her head, coming back to flop down beside me.

"So now that we have _that_ out of the way, I'm pretty sure we have everything for Friday, right?"

"I don't know…" I muttered, racking my brain for anything else we might need for a party.

"Cake!" She suddenly cried, sitting up.

"What?" I asked, confused, as I sat up as well.

"We need a cake!"

"Why the hell do we need a cake? It's not a birthday or anything."

"Because I want a fucking cake, and I'm two-thirds of this operation-"

"Hey!"

"- so what I say, goes. And I want a cake."

"Fine. We can have a _fucking cake_, as you put it. But we're going to bake it."

"What? No! Why would you bake one if you could get it from the store?"

"Because I'm the other _one-third_ of this operation, and so what I say, goes. And I want us to bake the cake."

"_Ay Dios mío_, you're insufferable!"

"So how's tomorrow afternoon after Glee?"

"Sure," She muttered, defeated, after staring at me in irritation for a few minutes. "Sure, I'll help you bake a fucking cake." In a quieter voice, she said, "Now I know why Quinn's so whipped."

I grinned.

I looked up from my book as Quinn walked in the front door, and swung my legs off the couch to allow her a seat.

"How'd it go?" I asked after a few minutes, where Quinn sat with her head leant back and eyes closed.

"It was _great_," she said, her eyes popping open and a smile spreading across her face. "My mom and I talked about some things that we haven't for years, and that we needed to get out of the way. You know she's trying to get a job? Oh, wait, yeah, you do know that… She has an interview on Saturday for a real-estate company! We might be able to live on something other than Russell's money now! And she asked me about Glee Club and school, and we talked about Cheerios – turns out, she got kicked off as a junior, too. And she explained to me what AA is, and it sort of actually makes sense now. And… Rach, she asked if I wanted to spend the night at home sometime. Not like I was going back there forever right now or anything, just to see how I like it." She held her breath for a moment. "Would you be okay with that?"

"Of course, Quinn!" I said, sincere in my sentiment. I really did want her to be happy, and if being at home would make her happy, then I was definitely fine with that. Sure, I had reveled a couple times at the fact that I pretty much had Quinn to myself; but her happiness was more important to me than my attempt at being possessive, especially where I had no right to be. "Did she say when? Do you have a specific day in mind?"

"No, not really, I was thinking maybe sometime during the weekend. And you're sure you're fine with it?" Quinn looked at me as if I was going to suddenly get mad and throw her out or something, but I simply smiled and scooted towards the blonde, giving her a sideways hug.

"I am totally, absolutely, definitely fine with it. The point was never for you to stay here forever. Just until you _could_ go back home. And you might be able to now. So it isn't my right to say 'No, you can't go home; you have to stay with me for all eternity…'" I made my voice really deep and poked Quinn in the ribs, causing her to giggle a bit. I snorted and shook my head, wondering how it was _me_ that could get Quinn-freaking-Fabray to giggle.

"Movie?" She asked, twisting her neck to look at me.

"Quinn, we have homework to finish!" I gasped. "How could you propose such a lackadaisical, mundane, time-consuming occupation of the evening while we still have work to complete, especially on a school night?"

"Oh, come on," the blonde groaned, "We already did most of it this afternoon…"

"_Almost_ is not _all_! This is no way to maintain your grades, and I do not wish to be held responsible for enabling your apparent underachiever mentality!"

"Calm yourself, jeez. Fine, we'll do homework. _Then_ can we watch a movie?"

"Sure," I said, grinning happily.

"Santana was right…" She grumbled, thinking I couldn't hear her.

But I could.

"Were you serious?"

"Hmm?" I asked, struggling to regain coherence. We had indeed finished our homework and put in a movie, which was almost over. Quinn and I were lying on the couch, somehow ending up with her behind me and us sort of half-spooning while falling asleep.

"About having a party. Were you serious?" The hand that was gently stroking my hip stopped its motion, and Quinn propped her elbow up on the armrest and looked down at me. I reluctantly opened my eyes and looked up to see those hazel ones staring down at me in curiosity. I raised my eyebrow at her, before focusing on the ceiling past her head.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "I guess just that a lot of stuff can happen at a party. Plus, remember last time?"

"Of course I remember," I said, making a face. "I kissed Blaine, and got vomited on by Brittany three days later. Plus the hangover felt like shit."

"Then why are you having another one?"

I thought for a few moments before answering.

"However much it sucked, it was still really fun. And I could just not drink as much, so that I don't get the after-effects."

"Are you going to be as much of a… erm… how do I say this politely…"

"Goody-two-shoes?" I queried.

"Yeah," She said, breathing a sigh of relief. "That."

"I should hope not. I'm getting certain… _assistance_ with that part." I smirked, as Quinn started to look concerned.

"'Assistance' from whom?"

"You'll find out sooner or later," I said, smirking even more as the blonde looked downright apprehensive. "Don't worry, it's not Puck."

"Well that's a relief… Although that still leaves a world of troublemakers…"

"Don't worry about it. Oh, do you want to help with something tomorrow after school?"

"What is this 'something'?"

"Baking."

"Rachel!"

I spun around in the hallway, colliding with a bubbly blonde cheerleader.

"Hi, Brittany."

"Rachel, can I help you make your cake? Pleeeeeeaaaaassseeee?"

I glared over the shoulder of the blonde, who had now grabbed me in a death-grip hug. Santana shrugged and smirked.

"You never said I couldn't bring help to bake your fucking cake."

I glared even more venomously, until Brittany stood back and smiled at me. _Nobody_ could keep glaring around a smile that bright and innocent.

"Sure, Britt," I said, smiling myself. "You can help. Quinn's coming, too, anyway."

The mentioned ex-cheerleader walked up at that moment, having caught my last few words.

"It's interesting how we are the four most popular girls in school, and the most interesting thing in our lives is baking a cake," She noted drily.

"Oh, I can think of a few more interesting things in our lives at the moment," Santana singsonged, causing Quinn to turn towards her. If looks could kill, the Latina would keel over where she was standing.

"Shut _up_," the blonde hissed.

"Chill," the darker girl said, holding up her hands in a placating manner. "I don't have time to go Lima Heights on your ass right now. Britts and I have something to attend to. A_dios mi amigas._" She grabbed her girlfriend's hand, dragging her towards the stairwell nearest to us.

"'Something to attend to'?" I asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"They're going to go make out in the janitor's closet," Quinn said bluntly, turning to open her locker.

"Hmm." I was distracted by the many photos in the blonde's locker. You can tell a lot by what someone has in their locker. Most people have mementos of some sort, perhaps remembering experiences, perhaps certain people. A lot of people have photos, sometimes of friends, family, sometimes of moments. In Quinn's locker, she had several of both.

There was a photo taken in the hospital, when Quinn was holding Beth in her arms and staring at her daughter with pure, unadulterated love. A few tears were brought to my eyes and threatened to leak out as I imagined what it must have been like for Quinn to give up her baby girl.

There were some photos of the Cheerios; one of a national championship they won, and… another national championship they won, another of the entire team (I think it was a copy of the yearbook picture).

The majority of the pictures were of Glee. There was a picture of the regional's trophy from this year, of our yearbook photo last year, a candid from our mattress commercial, another one from right after "Somebody to Love", a picture we had all taken a few months ago in our "Born This Way" shirts, a picture from the week we did Gaga, another when we did "Empire State of Mind" at the beginning of the year, and many more. My eyes returned to the "Somebody to Love" one, where we were all sitting close to each other and smiling like it was the best night of our lives. A small, round, blue magnet was holding it up, placed directly over my face.

For some reason that affected me.

I don't know why, as the logical side of my brain screamed at me that it was just a stupid magnet, and it might have been an accident. My jaw clenched, though, as my insecurities made themselves apparent, and my fist clenched so hard at my side that my knuckles turned white.

Quinn noticed the change in my demeanor and followed my line of sight, understanding lighting up her face. She immediately reached into the metal compartment, moving the magnet over to instead cover Finn's face. I almost smiled, but my mind was still battling itself. Quinn placed her hand on mine, trying to get me to look her in the eyes. I finally did, and the golden-flecked hazel captivated me like always.

"I said it once, and I'll say it forevermore," the blonde whispered, "never again. Got it?"

I nodded, my fist uncurling and gripping Quinn's fingers.

"We have a lot of drama, huh?" I said, chuckling a little bit.

"Come on, we're in Glee club. Of course we do," She said with a grin.

We walked slowly down the hall, our hands still gripping each other.

Maybe drama isn't that bad.

Glee rolled around without very much drama at all, though. I spent lunch with Puck and the Glee guys again, as Quinn, Brittany, and Santana were all doing something – _again –_ during lunch. Sam and I had stood at my locker for a while, chatting until Quinn got there. The reaction she had was hilarious; half her face started glaring, and the other half smiled, so that she looked like a stroke-victim whose face got paralyzed. Damn it, that was more offensive than I would have ever _dreamed_ of saying (even in my head) a month ago! What is wrong with me?

Quinn's angelic laugh reached my ears, and I turned my head slightly to look at her and Santana joking – rather crudely, I might add – about the virtues of Las Vegas. Her hazel eyes flicked to me once, and my heart stuttered.

Oh yeah, now I remember what's wrong with me.

"Hey guys! Do any of you have performances for us?" Mr. Schue asked, entering the room and laying his leather messenger-bag on the piano.

The three girls to my left all raised their hands and stood up at the same time, much to my surprise and then understanding. So _that's_ where they've been the past two days! I should have known, given my aptitude for knowing everything there is to know about behavior before a performance.

"Great, girls; we can't wait to hear what you have," our teacher said, stepping to the side of the room.

Santana moved in front of the two blondes, speaking to us all.

"This is for a very special… _friend_ of ours." She glared daggers at something behind me, and I turned to see Nicole in the back of the room on one of the high risers. I turned back around with my cheeks tinted red as Santana continued speaking. "'Cause _no one_ fucks with our Hobbit."

I could just imagine Mr. Schue's face right now, but I'd rather pay attention to what Santana just started singing, in her always-alluring, slightly raspy voice.

_Once upon a time_

_A few mistakes ago_

_I was in your sights_

_You got me alone_

_You found me_

_You found me_

_Found me-e-e-e-e_

Quinn stepped forward to join her friend facing the audience, and she swayed back and forth, occasionally grinning at me while singing the next verse.

_I guess you didn't care_

_And I guess I liked that_

_And when I fell hard_

_You took a step back_

_Without me_

_Without me_

_Without me-e-e-e-e_

Santana cut back in, changing the tune.

_And she's long gone_

_When she's next to me_

_And I realize_

_The blame is on me_

Both girls slid back, allowing Brittany to the forefront to perform a perfectly simple-yet-complex choreography pattern and sing the chorus.

_Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_Till you put me down oh_

All the girls joined together, their voices melding into one striking sound.

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

_Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

_Oh, oh, trouble, trouble trouble_

Santana restarted with the next verse, and the cycle between her and Quinn continued.

_No apologies_

_She'll never see you cry_

_Pretend she doesn't know_

_That she's the reason why_

_You're drowning_

_You're drowning_

_You're drowni-i-i-i-ing_

_And I heard you moved on_

_From whispers on the street_

_A new notch in your belt_

_Is all I'll ever be_

_And now I see_

_Now I see_

_Now I see-e-e-e-e-e_

_She was long gone_

_When she met me_

_And I realized_

_The joke is on me_

_Yeah_

Once again, Brittany took the spotlight, dazzling everyone with her dancing, until all three joined voices.

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_So you put me down oh_

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

_Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

This time the taller blonde stayed in front, softly singing the next few lines in a way that almost broke my heart just from hearing her.

_When the saddest fear_

_Comes creeping in_

_That you never loved me_

_Or him_

_Or anyone_

_Or anything_

_Yeah_

They all started singing again, finishing the song off with a flourish.

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_So you put me down oh_

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_

_So shame on me now_

_Flew me to places I never been_

_Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground_

_Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

_Trouble, trouble, trouble!_

The last guitar strum reverberated off the walls of the choir room, as we all whooped and clapped at the three girls, who were breathing hard and all had smiles on their faces. After a few moments they took their seats, and a panting Quinn laid her head on my shoulder. I smiled and stroked the hair near the nape of her neck, kissing the top of the blonde's head.

"I'm so proud of you. Thank you," I whispered.

"Thank Santana," she said, pointing at the Latina, who was curled up in Brittany's arms at the moment. I grinned and shook my head. I love having these three as my friends. I can't imagine living without them. God, how did I survive when they were making my life miserable?

Oh, that's right.

Barely.

"Amazing, girls! Although I can't say I approve of the… off-color introduction, I think you guys did a great job! So who's next?"

After Artie did a wonderful rendition of "Black and Gold" with great wheelchair choreography, Puck shyly raised his hand to Mr. Schue's repeated query.

Wait, since when is Puck _shy_?

"Um… I guess this was just… something… about regret…"

"What is wrong with you, Puckerman?" Santana snarked, pulling her attention away from her girlfriend. Puck seemed to square up at this, and his jaw became set.

The piano began to play, and my ears strained to hear the words so unusual for Puck's song choice.

_A drop in the ocean_

_A change in the weather_

_I was praying that you and me might_

_End up together_

_It's like wishing for rain _

_As I stand in the desert_

_But I'm holding you closer than most_

_'Cause you are my_

_Heaven_

_I don't want to waste the weekend_

_If you don't love me_

_Pretend_

_A few more hours_

_Then it's time to go_

_As my train rolls down the east coast_

_I wonder how you'll keep warm_

_It's too late to cry_

_To broken to move on_

_But still I can't let you be_

_Most nights I hardly sleep_

_Don't take what you don't need_

_From me_

_It's just a drop in the ocean_

_A change in the weather _

_I was praying that you and me might_

_End up together_

_It's like wishing for rain _

_As I stand in the desert_

_But I'm holding you closer than most_

_'Cause you are my heaven_

_Misplaced trust and old friends_

_Never counting regrets_

_By the grace of God_

_I done and risked it all_

_In New England as the leaves change_

_The last excuse that I'll claim_

_I was a boy who loved a woman like_

_A little girl_

_But still I can't let you be_

_Most nights I hardly sleep_

_Don't take what you don't need_

_From me_

_It's just a drop in the ocean_

_A change in the weather _

_I was praying that you and me might_

_End up together_

_It's like wishing for rain _

_As I stand in the desert_

_But I'm holding you closer than most_

_'Cause you are my _

_Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore_

_No, no_

_Heaven doesn't seem far away_

_Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore_

_No, no_

_Heaven doesn't seem far away_

_Ah, ah_

_It's just a drop in the ocean_

_A change in the weather _

_I was praying that you and me might_

_End up together_

_It's like wishing for rain _

_As I stand in the desert_

_But I'm holding you closer than most_

_'Cause you are my heaven_

_Oh you are my_

_Heaven_

Puck wiped away what seemed to be water glistening in his eyes, and he smirked at the audience, who was sitting in stunned in silence.

"What? The Puckster can be all emotional and shit too!"

I started clapping slowly, and the rest of the Glee club participated in the scattered applause, distracted by Puck's stiff movements as he made his way to the empty chair in the back.

"That was great, Puck," Mr. Schue said, just as confused. "Now, everyone, that's all the time we have for today. We'll have time for three and _maybe_ four performances tomorrow, so get ready with whatever you all have been practicing!"

With the clap of his hands, everyone started exiting the room. In the hallway, Santana and Brittany practically pounced on my back, causing me to spin around in fright, dropping Quinn's hand. Both girls started giggling, while I adopted a sullen expression and stuck out my lip in a pout. Santana slung an arm around my shoulders and started walking again, as the two blondes followed on either side of us.

"So, Berry."

"Lopez."

"You ready to bake this fucking cake of yours?" She asked with a smirk.

"I would appreciate if you didn't continue to call it that."

"But that's what it is. It's a cake. With an expletive. Hence, _fucking cake_."

"Really?" I replied with an eye roll. "To answer your question, yes, I'm ready to bake the cake. Although, I'm not sure how you three are going to fare with vegan baking."

"It'll be fine, Rach," Quinn called over her shoulder, as she was likewise trapped by Brittany. "It's not like we're expecting to put bacon in it or something."

I shook my head and scrunched my nose, turning towards Santana with a pained expression.

"I can almost hear the little pig voices: _Free me! Free me! Why must you let them kill me?_"

"Okay, Berry," The Latina said with a snort, "you just got about a million times weirder."

"Get used to it," the blonde's snarky voice called from ahead.

"Screw you, Fabray," I yelled back.

"She wants to…" A sultry voice whispered in my ear.

I flushed a bright red and shook my head again.

"Shuddup," I muttered.

"But it's true…" Warm breath tickled my ear, and the words rapid-fired at the brick wall I had built around my mind.

"No, it's not, Santana," I said forcefully, although I'm not sure whether I was convincing her or myself.

"Oh, but it is," She said, her voice becoming silky-smooth. "You said it yourself: you can be sexy if you try. And our little pressed lemon Quinn over there wants on it."

"Must you be so crude?" I asked with a sigh. "And that isn't true. It can't be true," I added with a mutter.

"Fine, don't believe me," She said with a smirk. "But I'm telling you right now, don't think Quinn didn't get all hot and bothered at your Britney Spears phase."

'I- I," I stuttered, unable to find words.

"Come on, Berry, think about it. _The second hottest girl in school_ _wants you_."

"B-but she hated me then…"

"Oh, sure, she didn't _like_ you until you two became best buds last month; but, whether she'll admit it or not, Quinn's wanted Berry juice since forever."

"Dear God, that's just… that statement's so _wrong_ on so many levels!" I cried with a stamp of indignation.

"Just keep it in mind," Santana sing-songed with a wave of the fingers as she let go of my shoulders and trotted towards her girlfriend.

Quinn fell behind as Santana and Brittany started frolicking and acting coupley.

"I always feel like the third wheel when they do that," the blonde next to me muttered.

"Tell me about it," I murmured back.

Three hours later, all four of us stood in front of a rather oblong, gooey-looking mass, still warm from the oven, covered head to toe in egg substitute, flour, and almost everything else under the sun that one would use for baking.

"Well, your fucking cake turned out… interesting," Santana supplied after several minutes.

We all started giggling, and then burst into laughter. You know what, that was the funnest thing I have ever done – I don't really care that the cake turned out screwed up.

"Fuck it, can we just eat it now?" Quinn asked after we had continued staring at the cake for another several minutes. I shrugged.

"Sure, whatever."

Santana darted forward and grabbed a handful of the smushed pastry and shoved it into her mouth unceremoniously. My mouth dropped open a little, but Quinn and Brittany just grinned before following suit.

"It tastes pretty good," the Latina mused with carob stains around her mouth.

"You could've been a bit more civilized, Santana," I admonished. She looked at the other two girls, and they all turned towards me with an identical shrug and grin.

"So I guess we're not going to be able to use this cake for whatever you were going to use it for?" Quinn asked after gulping down the large bite she had just taken.

"I guess not," I said as Santana exchanged a glance.

"What did you guys need it for anyway?" Brittany asked curiously.

"You'll find out soon, B," Santana responded in the soft voice she reserved only for the adorable blonde girl.

"Okay! San, can we take some of this back for Lord Tubbington?"

"Sure, B. Whatever you want."

Quinn made a noise like a cracking whip, which caused the Latina to smack her in the back of the head. Brittany and I started giggling again as Quinn turned around and tackled the raven-haired girl, and the two started tussling on the kitchen floor.

Friends. I guess that's what I have now. Friends.

I've never really had friends before.

This feeling… this is a nice feeling.

**A/N: I know, I know, I'm a ****_terrible_**** person, and I'm sooooo sorry… Life got even more fucked up, and my grades are dropping and life just… ugh. Plus, I discovered Tumblr, and South of Nowhere, and Once Upon a Time, and my fleeting spare time (when I should be doing homework and/or writing) has just been taken up by vegging. Sorry. But this is the new chapter, because spring break gave me about… hmm… an extra ****_hour_**** to write :/ ****_Anyway_****, you guys probably don't really care. So, as always, please read and review! This chapter may have seemed kind of trivial, but it was mostly about bonding and shit, so yeah. Oh, any suggestions on who Puck or Sam's love interests should be? I'm not going to reveal any part they may play to the plot, but I was just wondering what you guys want. So… yeah! Read and review pleasaaaseesseeeeeeeeeee pretty please with spaghetti and meatballs on top along with cheesecake and birthday cake ice cream so yeah! Peace out :)**

**PS: The songs were "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift, "A Drop in the Ocean" by Ron Pope, and "Black and Gold" by Sam Sparro was mentioned. **

**PPS: To any of you on Tumblr, you can follow me if you want at ****_painfullyobsessed_**** . tumblr . com. **

**PPPS: Please review!exclamationpoint!**


	29. Infinite (Part One)

I don't own Glee or any of that whole shebang ya know…

Chapter 29

**QPOV**

"Quinn! Quinn! _Quinn!_"

"Huh?" I asked, spinning around.

"Calm. Down," Sam said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"But I can't!" I wrested away from him and started pacing back and forth again. He stood and rubbed his forehead while I glanced every three seconds at the choir room door.

"Quinn, you've performed _how_ many times in your life, and you're _nervous_ about this?"

I shook my head rapidly, clenching and unclenching my fists. "You don't understand, this one is _important_. I have to get it right!"

"And you think this isn't important for me, too?" He snapped, causing me to pause in my pacing. I guess I hadn't really thought about the fact that this might mean something to the blond boy also. I'd spent the entire day nervously wringing my hands or bouncing my foot, counting the seconds until Glee Club, not giving a thought to anything else.

"What does it mean to you, then?" I asked curiously, walking slowly towards him. Our eyes locked for a few brief moments before he turned away.

"It doesn't matter. Just drop it."

"No, really, Sam, what's going-"

"I said _drop it_, Quinn."

"Fine," I said with pursed lips.

"Now, let's just go in there and do what we need to do."

"Yeah. Let's do what we need to do." I took a deep breath and walked into the choir room, finding my way to the seat beside Rachel, as Sam sat on the other side of me.

"Hey Rach," I breathed, my lungs finally expelling the air I felt that I had been holding in all day.

"Hello there, my little lion," She said, interlocking her arm with mine and sending tingles through my skin.

Why was I even nervous in the first place? This was Rachel we were talking about. She was always there, and she wouldn't want me to be nervous for this…

"What's up, guys!" Mr. Schue said, walking into the room and dropping his messenger bag on the piano. "So who's up for a little –" He did a small dance "– performance?"

Sam grabbed my hand and raised it above our heads, and I looked at the floor, a blush creeping up my neck.

"Come on," he whispered in my ear, "you can do this. Look into the eyes of whoever you are singing for, and sing it to them. Show them how much you love 'em."

"I never said a thing about love," I said through gritted teeth as I stood up and grabbed his hand, dragging him to the front of the room.

I shut my eyes for a moment once we were at the front, taking in one deep breath and letting it out slowly. When I opened them, Rachel's chocolate ones were staring right at me. My stomach flip flopped, and I grinned before hearing the piano start playing.

_I'm an angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun  
Angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun,_

Sam sang softly, looking at me. I nodded, and he started the verse.

_Get out your guns  
Battle's begun  
Are you a saint or sinner?  
If love's a fight  
Then I shall die  
With my heart on the trigger_

_They say before you start a war  
You better know what you're fightin' for  
Well baby you are all that I adore  
If love is what you need  
A soldier I will be_

We exchanged a look and I sang the chorus, feeling the music course through my veins like fire.

_I'm an angel with a shotgun,  
Fightin' till the war's won  
I don't care if heaven won't take me back_

Sam took the next part of the chorus, until our voices melded together after "I have."

_I'll throw away my faith, babe  
Just to keep you safe,  
Don't you know you're everything I have_

And I,  
Want to live not just survive,  
Tonight

I started the next verse, my eyes searching for those brown ones.

_Sometimes to win  
You've got to sin  
Don't mean I'm not a believer  
And major talk  
We'll sing along  
Yeah they still say I'm a dreamer_

They say before you start a war  
You better know what you're fightin' for  
Well baby you are all that I adore|  
If love is what ya need  
A soldier I will be

Sam joined in with me for the chorus, and we both knew that we meant every word of the lyrics.

_ I'm an angel with a shotgun,  
Fightin' till the war's won  
I don't care if heaven won't take me back  
I'll throw away my faith, babe  
Just to keep you safe,  
Don't you know you're everything I have_

And I,  
Want to live not just survive,  
Tonight,

Ohhh,  
Oh,  
Oh whoa,  
I'm an angel with a shotgun,  
Fightin' till the war's won  
I don't care if heaven won't take me back  
I'll throw away my faith, babe  
Just to keep you safe,  
Don't you know you're everything I have

And I,  
Want to live not just survive,  
And I,  
Gonna hide, hide, hide my way

We both knelt down on either sides of the room, somewhat in front of whomever we were singing to, and placed our hands over our hearts. Softly, we sang,  
_  
Before you start a war,  
You better know what you're fightin' for  
Well baby you are all that I adore  
If love is what you need,  
A soldier I will  
Be_

Sam and I looked at each other, and we could see the triumphant sparkle in each other's eyes as we panted a little for breath. I stood up and grabbed Rachel's hand as I sat down beside her, brushing a small kiss across her knuckles; my heart sped up by about a hundred beats per minute. She looked at me like I was the best thing in the world, and the entire day of anticipation was worth it in that moment. Rachel leaned forward a bit, and it seemed like she was going to kiss me, but she turned her head at the last second and kissed my cheek, still leaving me with rapid-fire bursts of color in my head.

"That was _amazing_," she whispered. I turned and kissed the side of her head, whispering back, "It was for you."

I left it at that; but, God, I wish I'd said more.

* * *

**"**Go, Quinn, shoo!" She said, pushing me out the door.

"Why do I have to leave?" I whined, spinning around and trying to get back into the Berry house.

"Because, I have to set up the house, and I don't want you trying to interfere," she said, sticking her tongue out and succeeding in pushing me out onto the steps. "Go buy something to wear or something. Or hang out with Britts. Or both."

"Why not Santana?" I asked, wondering why she didn't include both parties in that duo.

"Because," she said, pointing to the black Cadillac pulling up on the street behind me, "Santana's coming to help me."

"Oh God," I muttered, finally understanding why Rachel got rid of me on Wednesday. "She isn't helping… Oh she _is_… Lord help us." I threw my hands up and walked away down the driveway, glaring at the Latina as she passed me.

"Don't break her," I hissed.

"Oh, honey," she said with a smirk, "I don't break them. I just make them bend."

"Shut the fuck up, San!" I yelled as she sprinted away from the kick I aimed in her direction.

* * *

I rang the doorbell of the Berry household for the first time in what seemed like a long time. My fingers reached down to tug at the hem of the skin-tight blue dress I was wearing, but Brittany reached over and swatted them away.

"You look sexy, Q. Don't feel weird."

"Thanks, B," I said, smiling a little.

The door opened as I was about to reach for the bell again, and Rachel appeared, looking only slightly disheveled.

**_Holy fucking _****shit****_…_**

Oh, I see you're back again. Really? _Now?_

**_Hot damn. Your girl cleans up _****nice****_._**

You think I haven't noticed? Hello, she's standing in front of me you know and wow you're right really hot _damn_…

**_You better tap that. _**

"Quinn?"

Shut up.

**_After all I've done for you; you better fucking _****tap****_ that-_**

"Q?"

Charlie, SHUT UP.

**_Wha- oh._**

"Hey Fabgay, stop eye-fucking the munchkin."

That one made me snap to and choke on my breath as I stared at the three girls in front of me.

"I wasn't- It wasn't- she wasn't- hi," I stammered out.

"Come on," Rachel said, shaking her head and grabbing my hand, pulling me into the house. My eyes raked up her legs as we walked towards the basement, from which I could hear a bass thumping. The brunette had on black jeans that molded to her legs and ass like a second skin, a black tank top that didn't really leave much to the imagination, and a leather jacket that barely reached her mid-back. I had no _clue_ what she did with her makeup and hair, but the entire ensemble was downright _sexy_ as _fuck_.

She led me down the stairs into the dark room, where four speakers were set up, blaring music, and a disco ball hung from the ceiling. The room was hazy, and I could just make out the lit-up bar area on the far side.

"You got into your dads' liquor cabinet?" I yelled at Rachel.

"No," she yelled back, "Puck brought the alcohol. I just need to clear it all out before they get home."

"Is everyone already here?" I asked, looking around at the semi-crowded room of teenagers that seemed to be already semi-inebriated.

"We're missing Finn and Kurt and Mercedes, but other than that everyone's here, yeah."

"God, I hope Finn isn't coming," I said in a normal voice, although Rachel apparently still heard me.

"Me neither," She said with a grin. "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure."

We weaved through moving bodies towards the lit area, and Rachel poured me a plastic cup of something, which I took a sip of as soon as she handed it to me. I grimaced, as I've never really liked beer, but who cares.

**_Let's get drunk as fuck tonight_**.

I raised the cup to Rachel and downed its contents in one gulp.

* * *

Rachel and I collapsed onto the large, cushioned chair together, laughing maniacally. We were breathing hard, and I could feel sweat stinging at the back of my neck.

"Hello there, ladies," Santana said with a grin, walking up with a shot glass in each hand.

"_Santanaaaaa!_" Rachel yelled, trying (unsuccessfully) to clamber off my lap up to the other girl.

"Whoa there, Berry. Hold yourself together. I just came to give you two a little… pick-me-up."

Both Rachel and I reached for the small glasses without a word, linked our arms, and downed them. The vodka burned my throat as it went down, but it didn't stop me and Rachel from getting up to go find more.

**_Let's get drunk as fuck tonight_****.**

* * *

"QUINNNNNNNNN!"

"WHATTTTT?"

"I LOVE THIS SONG!"

I squinted and cocked my ear to hear the song through the screams of inebriated teenagers.

_So raise your glass if you are wrongIn all the right ways  
All my underdogs  
We will never be, never be  
Anything but loud  
And nitty gritty  
Dirty little freaks_

"That's nice, Rach," I shouted back after a few seconds, but the brunette was already in full-blown sing-along mode.

"SLAM SLAM OH HOT DAMN WHAT PART OF PARTY DONTCHA UNDERSTAND WISH YOU'D JUST FREAK OUT!"

She latched onto my neck, causing me to duck my head and tighten my arms around her waist to keep her from dragging us both down.

"PARTY CRASHER, PANTY SNATCHER, CALL ME UP WHEN YOU A GANGSTA, DON'T BE FANCY JUST GET DANCY, WHY SO SERIOUSssssssss!" Rachel leaned up and whispered in my ear, "why're you so surrrriouss, Quinn?"

Before I could respond, she stepped back and yelled, "KARAOKE EVERYONE!"

… this should be fun.

* * *

I wasn't even entirely sure how I ended up on the stage, but somehow I was, and Santana, Brittany, and Rachel were around me. Oh, and we were singing.

_Ima do it, do itLike I wanna do it  
You gonna know me like  
You ain't known nobody before  
Ima bring it, bring it  
Ima give it, give it  
You gonna love me like  
You ain't loved nobody before_

Hello, hello, hello  
Hello  
Hello, hello, hello  
Hello  
Hello, hello, hello  
Hello

Once Brittany started rapping, my head kind of went fuzzy, but I can remember Puck handing us drinks as we walked off the makeshift stage, and us all gulping them down like there's no tomorrow.

**_Let's get drunk as fuck tonight._**

* * *

My brunette companion and I had collapsed once again on the comfy chair, and we heard Brittany get on stage.

"So, I know that I have a bunch of dollar bills in my panties right now, but this one isn't for stripping or money, it's actually a song by my idol – Ke$ha."

"Yo B, I thought that changed after that Alcohol assembly?"

"Yeah, Artie, but I guess even though it sucked to be doing one of her songs while puking on Rachy over there, Ke$ha's still awesome. And Lord Tubbington loves her, so I don't really have a choice."

Artie made a raise-the-roof motion with his hands and shouted, "Show us what you got!"

_I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drumsOh what a shame that you came here with someone  
So while you're here in my arms  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young_

Young hearts, outta our minds  
Runnin' till we outta time  
Wild child, lookin' good  
Livin' hard just like we should  
Don't care who's watchin' when we tearin' it up  
Ya know  
We got that magic that nobody can touch  
Oh no

Looking for some trouble tonight  
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side  
Like it's the last night of our lives  
We'll keep dancing until we die

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums  
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone  
So while you're here in my arms  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Young punks, taking shots  
Strippin' down to dirty socks  
Music up, gettin' hot  
Kiss me, gimme all you got  
It's pretty obvious that you've gotta crush  
Ya know  
That magic in your pants, it's makin' me blush  
Oh no

Looking for some trouble tonight  
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side  
Like it's the last night of our lives  
We'll keep dancing until we die

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums  
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone  
So while you're here in my arms  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
We're gonna die young  
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young  


"Quinn, come on, let's go die young!" Rachel said, jumping up and grabbing my hand. She pulled me back out between people, and we proceeded to dance the night away.

It still is pretty fuzzy, up until Rachel tells me to go get a drink and hang out, because she has something to do. I shrugged and walk towards the lit area in the corner. I poured yet another cup of beer, which now tastes like ambrosia – although everything does, really.

"_Mi amor, escúchame," _I heard through the speakers, making me look up in surprise. That didn't sound like Santana…

Rachel was standing on the stage, swaying slightly with the effects of the alcohol, gripping the microphone. She looked at me and grinned slightly, before starting to sing, her voice a tone lower than normal.

_Locked up tightLike I would never feel again  
Stuck in some kinda love prison  
And threw away the key  
Oh, oh  
Terrified  
Until I stared into your eyes  
It makes me start to realize  
The possibilities  
So, so_

She let go of the microphone now, her eyes closed and her hands outstretched by her sides, and she pulled from some part of her that had been buried for a very long time.

_I'm gonna love you like I've never been broken  
I'm gonna say it like it's never been spoken  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go  
I'm gonna give it like it's never been taken  
I'm gonna fall like I don't need saving  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go_

_So played out  
The same lies with a different face  
But there's something in the words you say  
That makes it all feel  
So real_

I'm gonna love you like I've never been broken  
I'm gonna say it like it's never been spoken  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go

_I'm gonna give it like it's never been taken  
I'm gonna fall like I don't need saving  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go_

No need for me to run, run, run  
You makin' me believe in everything  
No need to go and hide, hide, hide  
Gonna give you every little piece of me

Tears squeezed out of the corners of her eyes, but she opened them anyway and looked at me for a brief second.

_I'm gonna love you like I've never been broken  
I'm gonna love you like I've never been broken_

I'm love you like I've never been broken  
I'm gonna say it like it's never been spoken  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go  
I'm gonna give it like it's never been taken  
I'm gonna fall like I don't need saving  
Tonight, tonight,  
I'm letting go, go, go, go  


Rachel jumped off the stage, landing unsteadily, and walked towards me. I held out a shot glass to her with a "Brava," and the night melted back into the delicious haze of alcohol.

**_Let's get drunk as fuck tonight._**

* * *

The night had wound down, and only Sam, Puck, Brittany, Santana, Mike, Tina, Quinn, and I were left. Most of us were swaying – more like shifting from foot to foot – half-heartedly on the dance floor with no particular aim or direction. Brittany and Santana were against the back wall doing god-knows-what. Puck got on the stage with his acoustic guitar (we had shut the karaoke machine off hours ago), and sat on a stool we had dragged up there after Mercedes had fallen down earlier.

"So, I know we were kind of over and done with the whole singing thing for tonight, and I know it's lame to sing at parties, but we're all kind of tired and this is just a really fuckin awesome song," he said with a grin.

_Sometimes we fall down  
Can't get  
Back up  
Hiding behind  
The skin and  
Stilt of  
How come we don't say  
I love you  
Enough  
Till it's too late  
It's not too late_

Our hearts are hungry  
For the food that  
Won't come  
And we can make a feast from  
These crumbs  
And we're all starin down  
The barrel  
Of a gun  
So if your life flashed before you  
What would you wish you woulda done?

Lookin' at the hands of the time we've been given, yeah  
This is all we got and we gotta start living it  
Every second counts on the clock that's tickin'  
Gotta live like we're dying  
We've only got  
86,400 seconds in a day to  
Turn it all around or to throw it all away  
Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say  
Gotta live like we're dying

And if your plane fell  
Out of  
The skies  
Who would you call  
With your last  
Goodbye  
Should be so careful  
Who you let fall  
Outta line  
Cuz when we long for absolution  
There'll be no one on the line  
Yeah, we gotta start

Lookin' at the hands of the time we've been given, yeah  
This is all we got and we gotta start living it  
Every second counts on the clock that's tickin'  
Gotta live like we're dying  
We've only got  
86,400 seconds in a day to  
Turn it all around or to throw it all away  
Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say  
Gotta live like we're dying  
Like we're dying, oh  
Like we're dying, oh

We've only got  
86,400 seconds in a day to  
Turn it all around or to throw it all away  
Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say  
Gotta live like we're dying

Yeah,  
You never know a good thing till it's gone  
Never see a crash till it's head on  
Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong  
You never know a good thing till it's gone  
Yeah, we gotta start

Lookin' at the hands of the time we've been given, yeah  
This is all we got and we gotta start living it  
Every second counts on the clock that's tickin'  
Gotta live like we're dying  
We've only got  
86,400 seconds in a day to  
Turn it all around or to throw it all away  
Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say  
Gotta live like we're dying

We've only got  
86,400 seconds in a day to  
Turn it all around or to throw it all away  
Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say  
Gotta live like we're dying  
  
"Yeah," Puck said as his last guitar strum blended into silence. "That's it."

He pressed a button and the regular music started up again. The next song of the playlist was a slow one, so Puck went to fix himself another drink, Tina and Mike acted lovey-dovey, and Rachel and I sat on the edge of the stage.

_Live like we're dying…_

_Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say…_

"Hey Rach?"

"Mmm?" She hummed, swinging her feet back and forth.

"Do you wanna dance with me?"

"Quinn, it's a slow dance."

"I know."

Rachel lifted her head off my shoulder and stared at me, before narrowing her eyes.

"Okay then…"

I hopped off the stage, much to the protest of my feet, and grabbed her hand. I walked backwards into the middle of the room and wrapped my arms around her waist. Rachel grinned and reached her hands up to play with the back of my hair, a habit she had gotten used to since I got it cut.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you_

_'Cause I know that you'd feel me somehow_

_You're the closest to heaven_

_That I'll ever be_

_And I don't want to go home right now_

We swayed slowly back and forth, and everything was perfect. It was just us, and it was perfect.

_And I don't want the world to see me_

_'Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

And I swear, in that moment, we were…

I don't know how much time passed. It could have been a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, a few years; it could've been forever, and I wouldn't have known.

Music faded away, and Rachel looked up at me. I could see right through her, and she made no pretenses of trying to block me out.

That was the moment that I knew that I had fallen madly, deeply, passionately, undeniably and unavoidably in love with Rachel Barbra Berry.

"Rachel…"

I paused, trying to find words. But I knew there were only three, and I had wanted to say them my entire life to someone who would be worth every syllable.

"… I love you."

Her eyes widened; I leaned forward until our breath mingled together, and I waited. I only needed to wait for a nanosecond before she crossed that barrier and our lips came together.

I once again felt and saw those bursts of color in my brain and tingles ran down my spine and through my skin into my fingertips and the back of my neck and everything felt like it was on fire and then there was Rachel. Everything was Rachel. Everything was always Rachel.

I pulled my head back and stared into her eyes.

"I love you too," she added breathlessly.

_That should be enough. That should be it. That needs to be it. Don't mess this up, Lucy Quinn Fabray; you've waited too long! You've tried too hard for this, don't screw it up!_

But I can't. I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't. I just can't. I won't.

My mind went into overdrive, searching for an excuse – _any_ excuse, anything just to _not make it real_.

"Do you think that's what he'll say?"

"Who?" She asked, pulling suddenly away from my arms, still around her waist. I could see the doors closing behind her eyes, even though she wasn't quite understanding what I was saying.

"Sam."

I hated myself for saying that. It was the worst excuse possible, and I couldn't possibly believe what I'd just said. I hated myself.

"Wh-what?" Rachel asked in a small voice, backing away.

**_Coward. You goddamned coward._**

* * *

**A/N: I knowwwwwww, you probably hate me right now XP. Don't worry, I probably won't leave you with this cliffhanger for very long. Just so you guys know, this is the climax scene of this story. It'll probably be ending within the next 5 chapters, although I plan to include an epilogue. I've decided: I'll include an epilogue for this, but I may write other stories in this 'verse if I get inspiration. But no sequel, sorry. Oh, and Charlie came back this chapter! Hope you liked that. So… Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase let me know what you think of this chapter! I hope I didn't fuck it up too bad XD. Read and Review please! Peace out :)**

**PS: The songs in this were Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab, Raise Your Glass by P!nk and covered by Darren Criss, Hello by Karmin, Die Young by Ke$ha, Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen, and Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls.**

**PPS: Uhm and I know that Quinn's "excuse" was kind of weird and fucked up and pretty ridiculous, but that's sort of the point. You'll see in the next chapter.**

**PPPS (last one I know): If you've read my other story (Pezberry); I know that I write a lot of stuff that happens at parties – I don't really know why. I guess because to the introverted nerd that I am, parties seem like this grand adventure in which anything can happen, especially cuz I know that alcohol can make you do all ****_sorts_**** of crazy shit. Anyway, yeah.**


	30. Infinite No Longer (Part Two)

I don't own Glee, as you all know.

Chapter 29 Part II

**Omniscient POV**

"No…" Rachel muttered, backing away from Quinn slowly. "No!" She stopped, and the blaze in her eyes blocked the tears she was fighting back. "You don't get to pretend that this was all some- some _practice_ for a _boy_! It doesn't work like that! That's something the old _Santana_ would do; not you! You can't just pretend like none of it mattered! You can't- " The girl couldn't hold back a sob, so she just turned and ran.

Rachel ran and ran and ran until she found doors – doors that would lead to outside. She pushed them open, but found herself restricted by a railing: she was just on the balcony. And she wasn't alone.

Puck stood, leaning against the side of the railing, staring into the night with unusual solemnity. He turned his head when the doors opened, and took in Rachel's tear-streaked face and shallow breaths in a moment.

"I- I need a hug," she whimpered. He immediately strode forward and wrapped the girl in a bear hug, allowing her to bury her face in his chest and let sobs rack her body.

"N- Noah, you wouldn't hurt me, right?" She asked, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

"What are you talking about, babe?"

"If we were together," she said, pulling herself out of his grasp to look at his face, "you wouldn't hurt me like this, would you?"

She longed for someone who could make her feel safe. She wanted someone that she could count on – who gave a _damn_ about love; it always ended up hurting you in the end. She just needed someone to be there. Puck had been there when she needed him, so why not him?

"Rachel, we're not together like I think you're talking about, and, let's face it, we most likely never will. Just tell me what happened; you're a wreck right now." The boy tried to keep his voice level, but Rachel still pulled completely away from him and walked back into the house.

_Don't need him_, she repeated in her head. _Don't need him, don't need Quinn, don't need any of them. _

But she still longed for something to fill that cavity in her chest that was aching so badly, something to soothe the gut-wrenching, crippling pain that seemed to stem from her heart and flow through her body to every square inch of her being.

Why was it like this? Why had it never been this bad with Finn? When he was an ass, she could brush him off, break up with him, and swear off boys. But now… now she needed something, or someone, or _anything_ to make it stop, make it go away. To make the pain go away.

She reentered the basement and walked slowly around the side of the room. Quinn was still standing in the same spot, seemingly petrified. A sob threatened to escape Rachel's throat again, and she bit her hand, trying not to let it out. She could still taste Quinn's lips on hers, and she could still feel the fireworks, and she could still-

_Someone. Something. Make it stop._

Rachel walked forward blindly, looking – for what, she didn't know. A blonde head caught her attention and she walked towards it, although she soon realized that it wasn't the one she wished for.

"Rachel, what's wrong? Why are you cryin-"

The brunette kept advancing, and with the brief thought of, _At least it won't be Quinn_, she pressed her lips against Brittany's.

After a few seconds of what felt very strange and just altogether _wrong_, Rachel was pushed gently back. She shut her eyes again, not able to believe what had just happened – what barriers she broke and what boundaries she crossed.

"Honey," She heard in a smooth, honey-sweet voice, "I need you to stay here, okay?"

She nodded, not wanting to open her eyes.

After a few seconds, different things assaulted her senses. Muttering in two voices, different hands on her shoulders, a different voice, a different smell.

"Hobbs, why don't you and I sit down?"

Rachel's eyes opened slightly as she was guided towards the sofa in the corner. She sat down numbly, and felt a weight next to her. A tan arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she turned into the body next to her and just cried. She cried for all she was worth, because she knew that something inside her was broken, and, God, she didn't know if it could ever be fixed.

* * *

Quinn turned at the sound of a voice shouting her name in the dim room. The first thing she registered was a sharp slap, accompanied by searing pain across her cheek, and then a hand gripping her jaw and pushing her until her back hit a wall.

"What the FUCK did you do, Quinn," Brittany growled out through clenched teeth, forcing the other blonde girl to look her in the eyes. "I _told_ you not to do this. I _told_ you that you were all too capable, but to _not do it_. And what do you do? You go and screw everything up. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know," Quinn whimpered, partly because the hand on her jaw _hurt_, but mostly because she felt like she was being stabbed in the gut over and over again with a blunt knife and it was _all her fault_. "God, I don't know! It was just all too much and I couldn't handle it so I made it seem like it was just a test or something for Sam and that I didn't actually mean it and-"

"You did WHAT?" Brittany let go, and stood straight up, her eyes filled with uncontrollable anger. "That is-" She put a hand over her face and tilted her head back, before dropping it and staring straight at the shorter girl. "- that was the absolute _worst_ thing you could have done. And now I can't help you. I swear to _God_, if you try to talk to Santana, Rachel, or me before you try to fix this huge fucking mess you made, you _will_ be sorry. Because, right now, I am just so done with this bullshit, and you need to _fix this_, Quinn. Fix it before you ruin the best chance at love that you're going to get."

Brittany turned and walked away, finding Santana and Rachel – who had finished crying and was now just clinging to the Latina and hiccupping – and motioned for them all to leave. The three girls walked up the stairs unsteadily, and, after depositing Rachel in her own room, Santana and Brittany crashed on the couch. All three passed out, blessedly spared from thoughts or emotions.

Quinn, a half hour later, sat on the front steps of the Berry house, fishing her phone out of her purse.

"_Ring… Ring… Ring… Ri- Hello_?"

"Mom?" Quinn choked out.

"_What, honey?_"

"Can I come home tonight?"

* * *

**A/N: Here, I just wanted to give you guys a little something to go on until I get around to the next chapter. It's just a little follow up to the last chapter, and showing what reactions were and such. I'm sorry to those of you who were mad at me XP Please read and review! And tell me whether the ending part of that scene sucked! Peace out :)**

**PS: Shout out to CarolineSC for being the 100****th**** review! And thank you to everyone else that reviewed as well :D**

**PPS: If I do another story in this 'verse, I'm probably going to want a beta, so if any of you know one or something just message me :))**


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